Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday announced allocation of Rs.10 crore for upgrading the Tamil Nadu Government Dental College and Hospital here into a centre of excellence in dentistry.
Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, she said that the amount would be spent on constructing new buildings and creation of new posts.
Ms. Jayalalithaa said that her government had decided to upgrade it into a centre of excellence, taking into consideration the welfare of patients from Tamil Nadu as well neighbouring States, who throng hospital.
She said over 2,000 patients were being treated in the hospital daily and her previous regime had allotted land and Rs.14 crore for expanding the college and hospital. The amount was used for constructing a multi-storeyed building and it was inaugurated by her on March 3, this year.
Reiterating that her government was committed to the motto of “health is wealth,” and keen on improving the health and sanitation of people across the State, Ms. Jayalalithaa said Primary Health Centres (PHCs) had been upgraded to provide treatment to rural masses on a par with their urban counterparts.
“The PHCs have been provided with equipment to handle deliveries and surgeries. Moreover, new buildings are being constructed for the hospitals and existing buildings are refurbished.”
Ms. Jayalalithaa said dental wings had been set up in all medical college, district 150 taluk and 15 non-taluk hospitals. “To create awareness about dental health among rural people, dental treatment is provided in 22 non-taluk hospitals and 208 PHC three days a week,” she said.
