The Hindu : National : Some medical firms blacklisted: Anbumani

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Friday, May 05, 2006

National

National

Some medical firms blacklisted: Anbumani

Special Correspondent

Anbumani Ramadoss

SALEM: The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has blacklisted some medical firms and suspended a few high-level health officers on the charge of financial irregularities in the World Bank-aided Child Care Project, Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here on Thursday.

Denying the claims of Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy that irregularities occurred after he (Dr. Anbumani) took charge, the Minister said some irregularities reportedly took place between 1997 and 2002 and not now. Dr. Swamy, he said, was trying to divert the issue for cheap political gains.

Dr. Anbumani, who was talking to reporters, said the World Bank wrote to the Prime Minister, drawing his attention to a few allegations of financial irregularities in the allotment of funds for the Child Care project between 1997 and 2000 in the country. "At that the time the UPA Government was not in power," Dr. Anbumani pointed out and added that after assuming office, he entrusted the investigation to the CBI.

CBI report

Based on the CBI report, the Ministry blacklisted medical firms and suspended senior officials. "Now the World Bank is satisfied with our investigation and has offered to continue the project. Our Finance Minister has also assured us adequate funds for the Child Care project even if the World Bank opts out of it."

Dr. Anbumani denied any connection between withdrawal of the World Bank funds for the project and the recent reports on increasing prevalence of child malnutrition in the country.

"Our efforts to tackle child malnutrition continue without any disruption.

In fact, our health schemes are being run in a transparent manner as never before with the management of rural health receiving primary attention."

He said that after the Tamil Nadu elections, Rs. 120 crores would be spent on the Salem Mohan Kumaramangalam Government Medical College Hospital to upgrade it into a super-specialty hospital.

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