The long-pending dream of an AIIMS-like institute in Jharkhand is likely to come on grounds after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has finally given his consent for the same during a meeting with the Indian Hospital Association President RK Rai at New Delhi on May 29.
The Union Health Minister has also asked the State Government to prepare a proposal for the hospital and send it to him. Harsh Vardhan during a meeting with a delegation of Indian Hospital Association gave his consent in the light of the high mortality rate in the state as most of the people are not able to bear the extreme medical cost during the treatment. The delegation was called upon by the Minister to discuss the impending health policies in the country.
“The Union Health Minister has agreed upon the proposal made by us and has asked for an urgent proposal from the state government in this regard,” said Dr RK Rai. According to him the proposal for regional AIIMS in Jharkhand was made by them during a meeting called by the Union Health Minister on May 29 after they met during an International Conference on Hospital Management at Varanasi.
It was also suggested by the delegation that the expenditure on health sector must be raised to 4-5 per cent of GDP from the current figure of 1 per cent.More discussions is to take place on the issue later in July when the Union Health Minister will meet the health providers, social activists along with the other stake holders in health sector in Delhi.
Dr Rai also suggested the minister during the meeting that the government must focus more on the universal health coverage across the Country through public health centers. “Suggestions were also made regarding public health be given more priority in the Country as being given in the other developed countries,” Dr Rai said.