CHENNAI: State Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday met with his counterpart at the centre J P Nadda in Delhi and submitted a memorandum, highlighting several key demands of the state, including exemption from NEET, request for a new AIIMS hospital in Coimbatore, and establishment of new medical colleges in six TN districts.
Subramanian urged Union Minister Nadda to sanction 24 urban and 26 rural primary health centres and 500 health sub centres for Tamil Nadu. He expressed the state’s objection to the National Medical Commission’s “Establishment of New Medical Institutions, Starting of New Medical Courses, Increase of Seats for Existing Courses and Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023”, which imposed restrictions on the increase of medical seats.
The state demanded support for strengthening cancer care services in Tamil Nadu under the tertiary care initiative scheme for Rs 447.94 crore. The state also sought support for strengthening neurosurgery departments and establishment of simulation and skill laboratories in 22 tertiary care institutions at a total cost of Rs 603.45 crore, according to the health department.
Health Secretary P Senthilkumar, National Health Mission Director Arun Thamburaj and other senior officials were present.
Later speaking to the media, the health minister said the state also requested for additional 50 MBBS seats each in three medical colleges — Namakkal, Tiruppur, and Virudhunagar.