Nellore: Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare P. Lakshmi has said that the Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 88 crores towards immunisation programmes in the country.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, she said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre was keen to provide health care to the masses and accordingly had allocated Rs. 12,428.83 crores in the budget for the year 2005-2006. The aim of the Government was to provide a health sub-centre for a population of 5,000 and a primary health centre (PHC) for a population of 1 lakh. The requirements were being regularly assessed and adequate action being taken to meet the targets, she said.

HIV/AIDS

Ms. Lakshmi said as per records the number of those affected by HIV/AIDS in the country stood at 5.134 million and the Government had provided Rs. 2,064.60 crores in the budget. It was proposed to have special clinics for this purpose in every district of the country, she said. For the care of cancer patients, the Government was allocating funds for the establishment of cancer detection centres in all the districts with each centre getting Rs. 3 crores.

In Nellore district, the assistance had been provided to the Red Cross-managed cancer detection centre for its proposed cobalt unit.

Cancer centres

Ms. Lakshmi informed that there were 24 regional cancer detection centres in the country. In respect of Nellore district, a trauma centre was coming up at a cost of Rs. 1.50 crores. With a view to catering to the needs of emergency medical help, Nellore district would soon have 16 ambulances and a meeting would be held on Sunday at the Golden Jubilee Hall in Nellore with the NGOs concerned to decide upon the modalities.

Rural health mission

Under the National Rural Health Mission, two PHCs have been selected in the district with a grant of Rs. 20 lakhs each. The Minister said that the Government had been taking all care in respect of postings of doctors in rural areas and was keen to provide necessary infrastructure, medicines and housing.

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