News & Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SB)

Udupi, Oct 5: The regional imbalance and difference in distribution of resources between public and private sectors are the issues which need to be dealt in a planned and systematic manner, said union minister for health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Addressing the gathering here after inaugurating Keshav Bhandarkar Centre for Maternal and Child Health at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, here on Monday October 4, minister Azad said that a number of initiatives have been taken over the last few months by the union government to augment human resources. "Amendments have been made with regard to the regulations prescribing the minimum requirement for establishment of medical colleges. Special concessions have been provided for North Eastern states, hill states and some union territories and metropolitan cities," he said. 

Minister Azad said, "To overcome the shortage of specialists and faculty, rules have been amended. This step has yielded 4,000 additional postgraduate and super specialist’s seats in government medical colleges during 2010," he said. 

He further added that the ministry is looking at increasing additional 10,000 to 12,000 postgraduate seats during next 2 – 3 years. For augmenting nursing man power, minister Gulam Nabi Azad said that the union government is providing financial assistance to state governments to set up 270 nursing schools across the country during 2010 and 2011. During the last 5 years, 57 new district hospitals, 435 new Community Health Centres (CHCs), 1,009 new Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 9,144 new Health sub-centres have been constructed besides 387 district hospitals, 1,255 CHCs, 2,081 PHCs and 8,997 sub-centres, which have been upgraded, added minister Azad.

Azad said that to facilitate institutional delivery, in addition to strengthening of the referral transport system, the government had introduced a cash based incentive scheme named – Janani Suraksha Yojana in 2005. Under the scheme, as many as 7 lac pregnant women were benefited in 2005 and the number increased in more than 1 crore during 2009 – 10.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B V Deshpande, Manipal University chancellor Dr Ramdas Pai, pro-chancellor Dr H S Ballal, KMC dean Dr Sripathi Rao and social worker Mitra Bhandarkar among others were present.