TN govt allocates Rs 3,391 cr for health care

The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 3,391 crore for health and family care for the year 2009-10, up from Rs 2,741 crore a year ago and 128 per cent in the last five years. The state government initiated various modernisation programme, setting up new hospitals and Asia’s largest blood bank in Chennai.

According to State Health Department’s policy note, which was presented in the assembly by the State Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam, allocation for the health care segment increased from Rs 1,487 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 3,391 crore, an increased of around 128 per cent.

The Minister told the assembly house that Rs 517 crore has been allocated for an insurance scheme to cover one crore people living below poverty line. The scheme will allow them to access specialist treatment upto Rs 1 lakh for 51 life threatening diseases. A provision of Rs 143.69 crore has been allocated toward ESI Scheme in hospitals.

The minister also said General Hospital in Chennai will be expanded at a cost of Rs 70 crore on the Central Jail land, which is being demolished now. Similarly the government hospitals in Salem and Madurai will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 200 crore and Rs 150 crore respectively.

Besides this, another Rs 160 crore will be spent on constructing additional buildings for various hospitals across the sate. The department will also carry out civil works with an outlay of Rs 325 crore in the state hospitals.

As part of modernisation programme in government hospitals to make it on par with the private hospitals, the government has allocated Rs 350 crore to buy new equipments.

A mega blood bank, which will be Asia’s biggest, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 400 crore in Chennai, said the minister.

The government is also planning to set up medical colleges in Villipuram, Tiruvarur and Sivaganai with an outlay of around Rs 298 crore.

Two government Nursing Colleges and 21 Nursing Training Institutes in the state will be upgraded with an outlay of Rs 153 crore.

Panneerselvam noted number of out patients increased to over 19.14 crore in 2008-09 from 17.80 crore. Similarly number of inpatients increased to over 1.54 crore from 1.49 crore.