Minister for Health P.K. Sreemathy has said that revolutionary changes were taking place in the public health sector of the State and those who criticise it was out of their discomfort.
After laying the foundation stone for an Ayurveda hospital at Paremavu near Painavu, the Minister said that when the government came to power about 50 percent of the doctors in the government hospitals had been abstaining from duties. She said that the reason for their absence was studied and a solution was found to the issue. Nearly 3,000 doctors were appointed to the government hospitals through the Public Service Commission, besides taking stern measures against those who were on continuous leave.
Medicines were made available at hospitals, in addition to improving the facilities and infrastructure. Even in Idukki, specialists were appointed and their services were made available to a large section of the society.
She said that for 15 years nearly 230 health centres had been functioning on an arrangement basis without the post of a permanent physician. The government appointed enough staff and upgraded many primary health centres to the status of Community Health Centres.
She said that Rs.6,000 crore was spent for improving the infrastructure and upgrading the facilities at the five medical colleges. The professionalism brought in in the health sector of the State begun to show results.
She said that the government was keen to improve the infrastructure facilities of the hospitals which are functioning at old builds.
At Adimaly, she said that with the assistance of NABARD, Rs. 2 crore will be spent for the renovation work of the taluk hospital there.
Minor tension
The Youth Congress (YC) activists tried to wave black flags at the Minister when she arrived to inaugurate the new OP block at the Adimaly taluk hospital. The DYFI members tried to prevent the YC activists, resulting in minor scuffle. The police arrested the Youth Congress members. They were later released as the United Democratic Front activists protested at the police station.
The Adimaly police said that some Youth Congress members were taken into preventive custody and were released in the afternoon.
Functions
The Minister also inaugurated a mobile health unit at Devikulam, the operation theatre building of the Social Health Centre at Rajakkad, the out-patient block of the taluk hospital at Nedumkandam, the out-patient block of Social Health Centre at Purapuzh and the homoeo dispensary at Muttom.
