Government committed to boost tertiary care facilities: J P Nadda

ALAPPUZHA: Government is committed to strengthening tertiary care medical facilities in the country and its efforts are directed towards regional development of hospitals and medical colleges, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said.

Nadda was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Super Specialty Block at the Tirumala Devaswom Medical College here.

"Government has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand tertiary care in a big way in the country. T D Medical College, Alappuzha is another step in that direction, part of the scheme to upgrade medical college under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)," Nadda said.

With the upgrading scheme, super specialty departments at neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, nephrology, urology and plastic surgery, will be created in the college at an approved cost of Rs 150 crores. This will add 200 beds, 50 ICU beds, 8 operation theatres to the institute, Nadda said.

The minister said a similar project has also been approved for Kozhikode Medical College, work on which will soon start.

"Tertiary care facilities will thus get a boost with all these projects coming up," he added.

The Health Minister said Rs 521.99 crore during financial year 2014-15 and Rs 270.42 crore during financial year 2015-16 have been released to Kerala for implementation of programmes approved under National Health Mission ( NHM).