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Rs.400 cr. for development of JIPMER

— Photo: Special Arrangement

HEALTH MELA: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss visiting an exhibition at the rural health mela in Puducherry on Saturday.

PUDUCHERRY: The Union Health Ministry plans to allocate Rs.400 crore for the development of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, according to Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

Inaugurating a three-day rural health mela at Kodathur-Manaveli, organised by the Puducherry State Health Mission and the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services on Saturday, he said development works, including building construction, had been taken up at a cost of Rs.220 crore at the JIPMER. “We plan to allot more funds for the JIPMER, and an allocation of Rs. 400 crore has been planned.” With this, the people of Puducherry need not to other places for treatment; all tests and surgeries would be done at the JIPMER.

The Ministry would launch the National Urban Health Mission in four-five months in towns and cities with a population of over one lakh. “A population of 22 crore, including 5.5. crore of slum population, will be covered under the Mission. We will introduce a health insurance programme for the urban slum population,” he said.

Similar to the accredited social health activists appointed under the National Rural Health Mission, the urban programme would have urban social health activists. One urban social health activist would be appointed for every 2,000 population. An urban health centre would be set up for every 50,000 population. Aiming to appoint one activist per village in all 6.20 lakh villages, the rural health mission had so far appointed 5.44 lakh activists.

“The National School Health Programme will be launched in a few months to screen all children, and health cards will be issued to them. We are holding discussions with the Ministry of Human Resource Development,” Dr. Anbumani said.

Puducherry ranked first in institutional deliveries in India, with 97.5 per cent, he said. “A survey revealed that 44 per cent of children in Puducherry were undernourished. The Chief Minister should introduce special schemes, and we are ready to provide all assistance.”

He urged the youth to abstain from smoking and alcohol. “The youth in Puducherry should stay away from alcohol as it is dangerous to health. Intake of junk food should be avoided.”

From 27 years, the alcohol consumption age had come down to 24 years, and to 19 years now. In the next five years, the national average would become 15 years. “According to the Constitution, all States should implement prohibition. Prohibition should be introduced in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.”

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning V. Narayanasamy said: “The Chief Minister and Ministers should stay in contact with the Union Ministers. Officials here should communicate with their Central government counterparts. They should attend meetings and obtain maximum funds for the Union Territory.”

Stressing the need to take healthcare to the rural population, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said his government was taking all steps to provide quality services. “Additional funds should be allotted to the Union Territory under the Rural Health Mission.”

Lok Sabha Member M. Ramadass said Rs.10 lakh was spent on the rural health mela. MLAs P. Arulmurugan and R.K.R.Anantharaman, Secretary of Health A.C. Verma, Director of Health Dilip Kumar Baliga and Mission Director C.K. Revathy spoke.

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