Tamil Nadu - Dharmapuri   

State to get Rs. 200 crores for healthcare of rural folk: Anbumani

Staff Reporter

Regular check-ups for pregnant women, vaccination for children

DHARMAPURI: In a measure aimed at providing quality healthcare to the hitherto unreached rural folk, a National Rural Health Mission scheme will be implemented in the country with an outlay of Rs. 6,700 crores, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Anbumani Ramadoss, has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, he said that Rs. 200 crores had been allotted for implementation of the scheme in Tamil Nadu during the current year. Under this scheme, one Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) will be appointed in every village to monitor pregnant women and children for regular ante-natal check-ups and vaccination camps.

Proposal for ICU

Mr. Anbumani said that he had requested the Dharmapuri district administration to prepare a detailed proposal through the State Government on establishment of an Intensive Care Unit at Rs.1.50 crores, 50-bedded maternity ward and a cancer ward at Dharmapuri Government Hospital.

The Central Government would extend assistance if the State Government came forward with a proposal to establish a medical college and hospital in Dharmapuri.

A total of 3,222 taluk-level hospitals in the country would be upgraded with adequate infrastructural facilities including an operation theatre, blood bank, maternity care centre and 24-hour emergency centre.

Survey on fluorosis

Mr. Anbumani said that a survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on fluoride contamination in water sources revealed high-fluoride levels in the districts of Dharmapuri, Vellore, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore and Dindigul.

He said that a report on fluoride contamination was compiled in CD format and the same would be submitted to the World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations. The Ministry had also requested the Centre of Disease Control, U.S., to conduct a survey on fluorosis in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Health insurance

A Universal Health Insurance Scheme was introduced for people below poverty line costing Rs. 350 per year of which Rs. 200 would be provided by the Central Government and the remaining would be paid by the insured, he said. Hepatitis B injection would be included in the National Vaccination Programme from 2006, he said.

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