Marking another milestone in the progression of the Government General Hospital, Deputy Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Thursday commissioned a cardiac cath lab and digital radiography facilities at the premier institution.
He also launched the department of surgical gastroenterology as a “centre of excellence in upper gastrointestinal surgery.”
Commissioning the Rs.3-crore cath lab and the Rs.75-lakh digital radiography facility, Mr. Stalin said the advancements formed part of sustained efforts to raise standards of treatment across State-run hospitals.
Citing the Kalaignar Kappeettu Thittam and the ‘108' ambulance services as two important schemes, Mr. Stalin said the measures reflected the government resolve to attach higher priority to the health sector than other sectors.
Health Minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam said the government had been scaling up investments in the health sector. From the Rs.1487-crore allocation when the government assumed office in 2006, the outlay for the health sector was now Rs.3,889 crore.
The government had also spent Rs.639 crore on purchase of new medical equipment and another Rs.1200 crore for construction of new buildings in the health sector, the Minister said.
Mr. Panneerselvam also appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to sanction a laboratory for the upper gastrointestinal centre.
V. K. Subburaj, Health Secretary, V. Kanagasabai, Director of Medical Education (Full Additional Charge) and A. Sundaram, Dean-in-Charge, Madras Medical College, also participated.
