Govt focused more on providing preventive healthcare than just curative: JP Nadda

New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) The government is focused more on providing preventive healthcare rather than just curative care in the country, said Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday.

In addition, palliative and rehabilitative care is also being provided extensively in the country, he said, while reiterating the central government’s commitment to providing world-class healthcare for all citizens.

Speaking at the fifth convocation ceremony of AIIMS Rishikesh, Nadda said providing affordable and quality healthcare to every poor person in the country is a priority of the central government.

“The government is focused on providing healthcare which is not only curative but also preventive, palliative and rehabilitative,” the Union Minister said.

Nadda also highlighted the achievements of AIIMS institutes across the country in medical education and services.

“Till the advent of this century, India only had one AIIMS in the country. Today, 22 AIIMS are operating in the country.”

Highlighting the achievements of the Union Government in the health sector, Nadda stated that currently “1.75 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are operational across the country”.

These centres provide a range of services pertaining to healthcare and wellness.

Further, Nadda said that medical education has also been improved in the country.

“There has been a 101 per cent increase in medical colleges, totalling 780 across the country. There has been a 130 per cent increase in MBBS seats while PG seats have seen an increase of 138 per cent in the last 10 years”.

“Similarly, to cater to the paramedics, 157 nursing colleges are also being established, to be co-located with the medical colleges”, he added.

The Union Health Minister also lauded AIIMS Rishikesh for effectively utilising the helicopter and drone services by rescuing 309 critical patients using the services; and for being one of the best institutes in the country for using digital services like telemedicine (eSanjeevani) to serve the remote and underserved areas of the state.

During the event, Shri Nadda inaugurated several healthcare facilities to enhance the institute's medical services, including Integrated Medicine in the Ayush Department, a PET scan machine in the Nuclear Medicine Department, a PACS facility in the Radiology Department, and a Centre for Advanced Paediatrics in Paediatric Care.

--IANS

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