CHENNAI: The Centre has allocated over Rs 2,600 crore for Tamil Nadu under the National Health Mission and Rs 404 crore to improve the State’s medical infrastructure under Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharath Health Infrastructure Mission, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here on Sunday. He is on a two-day visit to TN and Puducherry.
Speaking at an event organised at Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital on Omandurar Estate, Mandaviya said the hospital was the only centre with two surgeon consoles (needed for robotics-assisted surgery) and congratulated TN for achieving the goal set for maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) well ahead of the rest of the States, a press release from the Press Information Bureau said.
He said the Centre would soon launch a “one nation one dialysis programme” under Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme. On Central health schemes, he said, as of June 2022, TN has 7,052 Ayushmann Bharath health and wellness centres. The target is 9,135 such centres in TN by December 2022. As of March, 542.07 lakh screening tests for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, etc., were done in these centres.
Around 1.58 crore families in TN were covered under the Ayushmann Bharath Yojana, and 75 lakh people availed of the benefits. He also appealed to people to support Nikshay Mitra Abhiyan a TB patient/village adoption scheme. Around 50,000 people suffered from TB in TN.
The minister expressed happiness that 17 TN districts recorded zero cases of malaria. He, however, asked health officials to stay alert and continue their work towards eradicating malaria, chikungunya and dengue. On Covid-19, Mandaviya said southern States administered 11.26 crore doses so far.
Foundation stone laid
During the event, he virtually laid the foundation stone for a wellness centre and lab under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in Avadi and interacted with trauma-care patients and those who underwent robotics-assisted surgeries for severe sports injuries at the multi-super speciality hospital.
State Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Health Secretary P Senthilkumar and other senior officials participated in the event. Earlier in the day, Mandaviya took part in a cycle rally at Kamarajar Salai near the Marina in Chennai after flagging off Fit India, Healthy India cycle rally in the city.
DON’T CHANGE COUNSELLING RULES: tn to CENTRE
Ma Subramanian submitted a memorandum to Mansukh Mandaviya, requesting him to take steps to accord President’s assent to the anti-NEET Bills. He also requested him to help Ukrainian students continue their medical education in India and allow more students pursuing medicine abroad to do internships in India. He requested the Centre to drop steps to change the present counselling rules for State quota medical seats