Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has said that the central government will provide full support for the expansion of health facilities in Madhya Pradesh. In a discussion held at the Chief Ministers residence this morning, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan assured the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that he will leave no stone unturned in the support extended by the Government of India in the expansion of health facilities in Madhya Pradesh.
Chouhan told Harsh Vardhan that 75 percent contribution from the central government should be given to the Cancer Institute of Jabalpur in the state. Currently this contribution is 60 percent, which should be increased.
The Chief Minister requested for an increase in the amount of central grant for the Cancer Institute of Jabalpur. Along with this, the Chief Minister urged for formal approval and cooperation for starting 3 new medical colleges in Damoh, Seoni and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Chouhan told Harsh Vardhan that he had taken the initiative for opening new medical colleges several times in his previous tenures. After 1964, new colleges were not opened for a long time. The series started with the new medical college at Sagar. A provision has been made to start nine new medical colleges in the current budget.
Chief Minister Chouhan also discussed about better health facilities to the Bhopal gas victims with the Union Minister and requested for additional facilities. He also urged the center’s cooperation in the systematic operation of the hospital being run for the gas victims.
Chouhan informed the Union Health Minister that the plan is to administer the first dose of Covid to all eligible citizens in the next 35 vaccination days in Madhya Pradesh. About 81 lakh first doses will be required for this. So far, the state has received a total of 28 lakh doses of Covishield and 3.84 lakh doses of Covaxin. So far 15 vaccine doses have been applied so far. Around 8 to 10 lakh vaccine doses are required per week from the following week, so that the vaccination work can be completed by the first week of June within the stipulated time. The Union Health Minister said that dosages will be provided to Madhya Pradesh as per requirement.