Health scheme for children to be started in J-K soon: Azad

Centre has assisted the state government to get 485 ambulances and make over 10,600 Asha Workers functional, says Azad

The scheme to provide healthcare facilities to 27 crore children in the country, that was started in July this year, will soon be launched in the Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said here today.

"A new scheme namely Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) launched in the country in July-2013 will be shortly started in Jammu and Kashmir", Azad said while jointly inaugurating the Arogya Mela-2013 with the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Parade Ground here.

He said 27 crore children are targeted to be screened and treated under this scheme in the country.

Azad said that AYUSH and Allopathic Centres are being co-located in 52,000 newly constructed health buildings in the country to provide both Indian and Allopathic medicines under one roof.

He said in Jammu and Kashmir 398 Primary Health Centres have been co-located with Indian System of Medicine and Allopathic treatment.

Azad said that the union government has provided financial assistance to the state government for construction and up gradation of 322 health centres and hospitals in the State.

He said in order to make the jobs lucrative for doctors in the rural and far-flung areas, the monthly remuneration for them have been raised to the level of Rs 55,000 with the central initiative.

He said the Centre has also assisted the state government to get 485 ambulances and make over 10,600 Asha Workers functional.

He said the annual grants under National Rural Health Mission to the state have been increased from Rs 232 crores to Rs 436 crores.

He also highlighted the initiative of AYUSH and said that six systems of medicines namely, Ayurveda, Yoga-naturalpathy, Unani, Sidda, Sowa-rigga and Homoeopathy are under its ambit to popularise the treatment of different diseases under the Indian System of Medicine.

Azad said that the holding of Arogya Mela in Jammu in the month of December is aimed at reaching out to maximum people as a large number of people from other districts remain in Jammu during the winter months.

He said a similar Mela will be organised in Kathua district next week.