The Himachal Government will introduce the Medical University Bill in the State Assembly beginning from Tuesday, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said here on Monday. Union Health Minister JP Nadda was also present in the function.
Addressing a gathering on inauguration of AMRIT Pharmacy outlet and foundation stone laying ceremonies of Super Specialty Block of IGMC and Tertiary Care Cancer Centre at IGMC here, he thanked the Union Health Minister for the assistance extended for strengthening health infrastructure in the State.
He said that the Government was committed to modernise the health services so as to provide quality treatment and best medicines to the patients and the people of the State.
Apart from three medical colleges, an AIIMS is coming up at Bilaspur for which adequate land has been transferred in the name of Union Ministry of Health, he said hoping that the work on AIIMS would begin soon.
He said that the second campus of IGMC at Chamiana would ease the load on existing IGMC hospital and with the upcoming of super specialty block lot of relief would be there for the people of the state.
The Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had become the first State in South East Asia to launch six new health schemes, including Electronic Health Card, scheme for free insulin for diabetic patients below 18 years of age under universal immunisation programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Nadda said that the Union Government had decided for early detection and universal screening of cancer besides other tests of various diseases.
It would be made mandatory for every Indian citizen, of 30 years of age, to undergo universal screening for cancer which would be introduced within two or three months.
He said that the Union Ministry of Health had provided two tertiary care Cancer Centre for Shimla and Mandi costing Rs 45 lakh each and the foundation stone of Tertiary Care Cancer Centre at Mandi would be laid soon.
He said that AMRIT outlets would be digitally managed and the one opened in IGMC was the 100th. Though AMRIT, we have provided relief of around 170 crore to as many 32.65 lakh patients by providing them cheap medicine. He said that the medicine worth Rs 300 crore were sold to patients for Rs 130 crore thereby benefitting them by Rs 170 crore.
The Minister said that the Union Government was interested for starting Pradhan Mantri Dialysis Yojana in the State even at sub-divisional level and the rates would also be freezed for common man besides providing free dialysis for BPl patients. The Union Minister urged the state Government for submitting the proposal to Union Health Ministry as soon as possible.
Nadda said IGMC was a well known medical college and hospital as even director of AIIMS, New Delhi, and director of PGIMER, Chandigarh were alumni of IGMC.
Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said the Health scenario of Himachal was far better than any other State.
The Minister said that as of now 120 Primary Health Centre (PHCs) were opened in rural areas and 45 PHC were upgraded to Community Health Centres (CHCs) and 32 CHC have been upgraded to civil hospitals during the last three years.