Melinda Gates calls on Nadda

Government today said it understands the need for improving delivery of public health provisions for growth of women and children who are the "bedrock" of a healthy nation and asserted its commitment to provide universal medical coverage through health insurance scheme.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda discussed various issues relating to the health sector in India with Melinda Gates, Co-Chair and Trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who called on him here.
Gates appreciated the initiatives taken by the Ministry towards strengthening the health system, particularly in the primary health care, in addition to the success of full immunisation through 'Mission Indradhanush'.

"Government is committed to providing universal health coverage...Through newly-declared scheme on health insurance.
"Government understands the significance of improving the delivery of public health provisions including vaccination, family planning and maternal health outcomes, in promoting all-round growth and development of women and children, who are the bedrock of a healthy nation," Nadda said.
He was referring to the new health protection scheme announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, while presenting the budget 2016-17, that will provide health cover of up to Rs one lakh per family. Citizens, who are 60 years of age and above, will get an additional top-up package up to Rs 30,000.

He said that Rotavirus will soon be introduced in select states in the first phase.

The Health Minister also appreciated the efforts of the Gates Foundation in complimenting the initiatives of government in the health sector, which has enhanced the capacity of the health workers for more effective implementation of the projects.
"Gates expressed appreciation for the initiatives taken by the Ministry towards strengthening the health systems, particularly in the primary health care, in addition to the success of full immunisation through Mission Indradhanush and the resolve and commitment to launch new vaccines to protect the children and India's population from various diseases," an official statement said.

"The most common cause of liver failure in
toddlers is biliary atresia, which manifests itself in the first few months after birth. The critical condition accounts for almost half the cases of liver failure among children. This disease leads to faster complications and higher mortality. The classic signs for chronic liver failure are severe jaundice, itching, excessive bleeding, stunted or retarded growth, bloated bellies, irritability and vomiting blood," informed Dr. Sanjay Rao.
It is estimated that in India 4000 children need liver transplant with hardly 100 cases getting treated. This may be attributed to the high cost of liver transplant surgery

p://www.Narayanahealth.Org/specialities/transplant/liver-trans plant ] and lack of awareness among people apart from other social reasons due to which not many families opt for liver transplant for their children.
About Narayana Health:
With all super-speciality tertiary care facilities that the medical world offers, Narayana Health is now a one-stop healthcare destination for all.
From the first facility established in Bengaluru with approximately 225 operational beds in 2000, our Company has grown to 55 facilities (which includes 54 facilities in India and 1 facility in the Cayman Islands operated by our company's associate company, Health City Cayman Islands Ltd.) with 5347 operational beds. Narayana Health has a network of 23 hospitals (multispeciality and superspeciality healthcare facilities which provide tertiary care services), 7 heart centres (superspeciality units which are set up in a third party hospital) and 24 primary care facilities (including clinics and information centres), across a total of 31 cities, towns and villages in India.

For details, visit http://www.Narayanahealth.Org. About Narayana Health City, Bengaluru:
NH Health City is located in Bommasandra, Bengaluru, which comprises of Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences (NICS), a superspecialty hospital for cardiology and cardiac surgery, and Mazumdar Shaw Medical Center (MSMC), a multispecialty hospital for cancer care, neurology and neurosurgery, nephrology, urology, and houses what we believe, is one of India's largest bone marrow transplant units. NH Health City operates a stem cell bank.
Media contact:
D K Venkatesh
Media@nhhospitals.Org
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Narayana Health
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