All taluk hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district will have full-fledged laboratories along the lines of the facilities in district hospitals. The new block public health laboratories (BPHL) will facilitate testing for dengue, leptospirosis, hepatitis, chikungunya, malaria, typhoid, H1N1 and several other diseases, which at present are done only in the district public health laboratory (DPHL) located at the Wenlock District Hospital.

The health department has directed the district to set up (BPHL) in taluk hospitals at Belthangady, Puttur, Bantwal and Sullia taluks. The cost of the laboratories may vary depending on the availability of the building in the taluk hospitals. If required, separate buildings also will have to be provided for the laboratory. Meanwhile, if a taluk hospital has sufficient space to open a new BPHL, then the work will be started soon.