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Efforts on to improve health care services

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI Nov. 10 . Efforts are on to strengthen secondary and tertiary-level medical institutions in the State now that panchayat level primary health centres were well-developed, according to the Director of Public Health, P. Krishnamurthy.

The project implementation plan (PIP), which is being negotiated with the World Bank, aims to improve health care services in towns and cities. The five-year plan if implemented, will come into effect in 2003.

Under the plan, infrastructure, manpower, maintenance and information system of taluk, non-taluk and district-level hospitals, training institutions and tertiary hospitals are expected to improve. At present, about 35 per cent of the urban population, which lived in slums in cities and towns, approach private hospitals and nursing homes unlike in rural areas, where people went to the primary health centres.

The capacity of government-run hospitals in cities and towns will be increased, the manpower in the hospitals improved, and equipment and laboratory services to cater for the needs of the patients would be procured. The hospitals will have more beds and buildings to house patients. Training of the personnel and improvement of the quality of services, and maintenance and supervision of the hospitals were the immediate concern, Dr. Krishnamurthy said.

The private sector will be approached for construction of hospital buildings. Similarly, private practitioners will be sought to train personnel in the secondary-level hospitals and to improve information systems. Procurement of modern equipment, better laboratory services and more operation theatres are also expected to improve the services.

The State has approached the World Bank to fund Rs. 650 crores, negotiations for which are in the final stage, the director said.

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