Cabinet approves to augment human resources for medical colleges

The Cabinet approved the proposal for the continuation and taking up additional phases of Human Resources for Health and Medical Education schemes.

The Centre has announced two path breaking initiatives as a part of 'Ayushman Bharat' that address health holistically impacting primary, secondary and tertiary care system as well as prevention and health promotion.

The 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres, announced in the Budget, will provide people-centric comprehensive primary health care including for common non-communicable diseases closer to houses of the people.

The scheme will also provide free essential drugs and diagnostics.

The second initiative under 'Ayushman Bharat' is National Health Protection Scheme, under which over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (around 50 crore beneficiaries) will be provided treatment coverage up to Rs. five lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

Lauding the initiative, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda stated that the government is consciously working towards improving health infrastructure as well as health manpower in the country.

"To improve the health infrastructure in the country this government has announced establishment of 13 new AIIMS as well as has approved setting up of super-specialty facilities at 15 existing government medical colleges," Nadda added.

Continuing the focus on creation of health care infrastructure, the government gave approval to the continuation of ongoing scheme to establish 58 new Medical Colleges attached with existing district and referral hospitals.

Of this, eight medical colleges have already started functioning in the last three years, while the remaining 50 would be made functional by 2019-20.

The Cabinet also gave approval for the establishment of 24 additional government medical colleges attached with existing district and referral hospitals by 2021-22, in the identified underserved areas in the country.

In addition, the Cabinet approved continuation and completion of scheme for setting up of 112 Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery Schools (ANM) and 136 General Nursing Midwifery (GNM) schools by 2019-20 in the underserved areas of the country.

To increase the availability of qualified doctors, the Cabinet also gave approval for the increase of 10,000 MBBS seats by 2020-21 and 8058 PG seats by 2020-21.

Besides, the scheme on establishment of new medical colleges (58+24) would lead to addition of another 8,200 MBBS seats in the country.

The proactive steps taken by the government to increase the number of qualified doctors in the country, has already added nearly 13,000 MBBS seats and 7,000 PG medical since 2014-15.

With the approval of 24 new Government Medical Colleges, the Government has ensured setting up of at least one medical college for every three parliamentary constituencies and at least one Government Medical College in every state.

The Cabinet sanctioned for the expenditure of Rs. 14,930.92 crore as Central share during the 14th Finance Commission period i.e. up to 2019-20 and the balance Central share of Rs. 5,658 crore will be released after 2019-20.