AHMEDABAD, Jan 4:
Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today criticised the State Governments for trying to take credit of launching the health schemes totally funded by the Centre.
“My ministry gives financial assistance for many Central Government health schemes. But the States present these schemes as their own by changing their names,” Azad said.
“States try to take credit for the health schemes, which are totally funded by the Centre,” he said.
Talking to reporters here, Azad claimed that his ministry had taken unique initiatives to transform the health sector during the UPA I and UPA II regimes.
“More than Rs 4,164.34 crore have been released to Gujarat since the inception of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and for the year 2013-14, the amount released under the scheme is Rs 608.41 crore,” Azad said.
He said that under the NRHM funding, ‘108 Ambulance’ service was made operational in Gujarat.
“Today, 506 ambulances are operational in the State. Under infrastructure strengthening and upgradation of hospitals and health centres, a total of 951 works were sanctioned, which includes 404 new constructions,” Azad said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had been taking credit for introduction of the ‘108 Ambulance’ service in Gujarat in his election speeches.
“We have introduced free medicine scheme for all in the States and in the first year we have given Rs 2,000 crore from Central funds, while 15 States, out of 28, have started it, but I do not know Gujarat has started it or not,” Azad said.
Replying to a query on regulating malpractices by doctors and hospitals, Azad said he was “disappointed” with the States for not adopting the Clinical Establishment Bill, which was passed in the first six months of his tenure as the Health Minister, to address the issue of malpractices.
“Not a single State in the country, be it BJP-led or Congress-led or any other Government, have adopted it,” Azad said.
Azad said that for the first time, they have sanctioned 71 cancer institutes, which would be built across the country over the next three years.
“The country had no proper specialised cancer care institute. So for the first time, the Government has decided to build one national institute, 20 State institutes and 50 tertiary institutes spread all over the country,” he said.
The Health Minister said that the Union Government has sanctioned seven new AIIMS-like institutes, six of which would be operational by the end of the year, while one is at the construction stage. (PTI)
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