The Tamil Nadu government is in the process of setting up 24 new district hospitals at a cost of ₹1,100 crore, said Tamil Nadu Health & Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian here on Saturday.
“Currently, there are 18 district government hospitals. Soon after our government came to power, we announced 24 new district government hospitals. A budget of ₹1,100 crore has been earmarked for this. Government orders to the effect have already been issued and the work is under progress,” said Subramanian.
He was delivering the inaugural address at the second edition of TN MedClave 2022 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The theme of this year’s event was ‘Emerging Processes & Technologies to Enhance Patient Experience’.
Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme benefits
Highlighting various healthcare initiatives and schemes of the State government, Subramanian said, so far over 96 lakh people have benefitted from the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) scheme and soon the number will cross one crore.
Launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in August 2021, the MTM scheme offers free medical kits that are delivered to the doorstep of the beneficiaries. It covers diabetes, hypertension, and also caters to those needing palliative care physiotherapy and dialysis.
“We are also proud to share that Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has invited us to showcase the scheme at the World Economic Forum to be held in Geneva, Switzerland next year,” Subramanian said.
He also highlighted that the insurance amount under the Chief Minister Insurance scheme has been enhanced from ₹1 lakh per family to ₹5 lakh and ₹22 lakh in case of organ transplantation.
Spike in violence against medicos
Earlier, in his special address, Alexander Thomas, National President, the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) (AHPI) said doctors and healthcare professionals were held in very high esteem earlier but the scenario has changed in recent times.
He said the incidents of violence against medical professionals have been on the rise not just in India but across the world.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 3,000 healthcare professionals have lost their lives and they have made the utmost sacrifice to save people. So, one must think about what is going wrong,” Thomas added.
Presenting statistics, Thomas said, in India 75 per cent of the doctors have faced violence in one form or the other and most violence is seen in the ICU, OBG and emergency care departments.
Citing a recent publication by AHPI and Indian Medical Association, ‘Perils in Practice: Prevention of Violence against Healthcare Professionals’, Thomas said, some of the causes of violence against healthcare professionals are inadequate communication, unethical practice, and lack of self-regulation and inclusion of healthcare services under the ambit of the Consumer Protection Law.
“Putting the medical profession under the National Consumer Disputes redressal commission is probably the single worst action that has happened not to doctors or healthcare professionals but to patients,” he said.