Union Health Minister lays stone for two critical care blocks, BSL-III lab at Old GGH in Vijayawada

VIJAYAWADA: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday laid a foundation stone for a critical care block to be constructed in Old Government General Hospital (GGH) at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore and Biosafety Level-III laboratory here. He also launched the seven Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) to be set up in various districts of the State.

Mansukh Mandaviya said that these new facilities would give a boost to the healthcare infrastructure of Andhra Pradesh and help in addressing the challenges of any health emergency. Congratulating the beneficiaries, he said, “It is our Government’s responsibility and commitment to provide quality healthcare infrastructure and services to the people as only a healthy country can aspire to become a developed country.”

The Union Health Minister said the Union Government was following a holistic approach to health by not only upgrading and expanding healthcare infrastructure in the country but also creating more medical and nursing colleges to meet the requirement of medical professionals. He highlighted that the number of AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the country was increased to 23 today and the number of MBBS and nursing seats have doubled in the country.

Dr Mandaviya stressed the need for collective efforts between the Centre and states to meet the healthcare needs of the country. He reiterated the support and commitment of the Union government to the states in their healthcare endeavors. “It's a great sign, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has laid proper focus on the health sector. Society will prosper only if people are healthy,” he said and commended the efforts of Health Minister Vidadala Rajini and the health department for coming up with initiatives to improve the health care sector.

Highlighting the initiatives taken by the Centre in the health sector, Mansukh Mandaviya said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision was the main reason for construction of around 1.70 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres. In the last nine-and-a-half years, about 350 medical colleges were constructed across the country, he said and added that wellness centres in villages were associated with district hospitals and AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The Union Minister said that people in rural areas were given free accessibility to specialist services through tele consultation. On an average around four lakh people were utilising the tele consultation services in the country. Under Ayushman Bharat patients were given free treatment upto Rs 5 lakh, he added.