Chandigarh, August 30 – While the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr. Gulam Nabi Azad said that there was a proposal to introduce a special degree course in rural health care to meet the shortage of doctors in rural areas, Haryana Health Minister, Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal sought special incentives like residential accommodation for doctors severing in rural areas.
They were speaking in the 11th conference of Central Council for Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi today.
Mr Azad commended the health services being provided to the poor people in Haryana, including free medicines and low cost surgery package to patients and free ambulance service.
Mrs. Bhukkal said that to meet the demand for more doctors, new medical colleges were being setup in Karnal, Khanpur Kalan and district Mewat. She said that Rohtak Medical College has been upgraded and extension – II of AIIMS was being setup at village Bhadsa in district Jhajjar. After a few years, there would not be any shortage of doctors.
She said that there has been improvement in health facilities during last few years. Haryana has got second prize for effective implementation of National Rural Health Mission. She said that during last year 74,000 surgeries were conducted in government hospital in Haryana which included 53,000 free of cost operations for the poor. Free ambulance service has been started for BPL families, freedom fighters and ex-servicemen, victims of road accidents and pregnant women. As many as 406 delivery huts have been developed in the state benefitting the needy people.
Those present in the conference included Minister State for Health and Family Welfare, Mr. Dinesh Trivedi, Governor of Punjab, Mr. Shivraj Patil and Ministers and officers of other states.