The Hindu : Front Page : Health policy aims at free treatment for BPL category

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Monday, Jan 22, 2007
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Health policy aims at free treatment for BPL category

Staff Reporter

Priority to health sector in Five-Year Plan: Achuthanandan

ADDRESSING HEALTH CONCERNS: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan unveiling a plaque to inaugurate the shifting of key departments of the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital to the newly constructed buildings near the Vandanam campus on Sunday.

ALAPPUZHA: The State Government will implement a people-oriented health policy, and the Five-Year Plan that begins in March will give top priority to the health sector, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

The Chief Minister was here on Sunday to inaugurate the shifting of key departments of the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital to the newly constructed buildings near the Vandanam campus.

He said the aim of the new health policy was to provide free treatment to all people below poverty line (BPL) within five years. "It is more important to create a disease-free environment than take steps to provide treatment after epidemics break out," he said.

He said emphasis would be laid on providing potable water to all, creating a pollution-free environment and ensuring proper sanitation.

The Chief Minister said the cooperation of various departments of the Government and different sections of society was essential in making the new health policy a success. The functioning of Government hospitals should be made more effective.

He called upon young doctors to join the Government service. They should show commitment towards society. He blamed the previous UDF Government for the ills in the public health system. The recent outbreak of chikungunya in the State was the result of the neglect of the public health system by the UDF Government.

Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, who inaugurated a new nursing college affiliated to the medical college, said the idea of handing over the health security of the people to insurance companies was not acceptable. The public health system in the State was most effective and cheap, he said.

The health sector in the U.S. where insurance companies played the pivotal role was found to be very expensive. The emphasis of the present Government would be to strengthen the public health system in the State.

Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran, who laid the foundation stone of the new building to be constructed for the nursing college, said certain sections had tried to subvert the shifting and development of the medical college. He pointed out that two Congress councillors had even approached the court to stall the shifting. Public Works Minister T. U. Kuruvilla, who handed over the keys of the new building to the Medical College Principal, said the ongoing construction at the medical college would be completed this year itself.

Health Minister P. K. Sreemathy, who presided over the function, said all departments of the medical college would be shifted to Vandanam within one-and- a-half years. The present hospital at Alappuzha would be made a full-fledged general hospital, she added.

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