A scheme to distribute free iron tablets among students from classes VI to XII will soon be introduced in the state to curb occurrences of anaemia, said Health Minister V S Sivakumar. He was speaking to delegates at the ongoing Global Healthcare Summit here on Wednesday evening.
Sivakumar added that the free generic drug programme will be extended to all government hospitals and that free dialysis services will be launched in all district hospitals this year itself.
“Women and Children Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, was the first government hospital in the country to get the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation. Likewise, the Taluk Hospital in Cherthala became the first taluk hospital in the country to get the accreditation, while Ernakulam General Hospital became the first in the category,” he said.Union Minister of State for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs K V Thomas called upon the foreign delegates to go around the city and become the ambassadors of Kerala on their return.
Union Minister of State for Indian Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi hoped that the summit would come out with valuable suggestions to better health care in the country.
He lauded the Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) for organising a summit of such a scale.