Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College inaugurated by The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal

Chandigarh, April 14, 2017 : The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal, disclosed that medical insurance scheme would be introduced for the people of the state to enable eligible persons to avail themselves of its benefit during  emergency.

Speaking after inaugurating hospital building of the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College in Karnal on April 13, 2017 he said the priority of the state government was to provide better health services to the people. This is underscored by the fact that budget for health sector for 2017-18 has been increased by 15.52 per cent over 2016-17.

A budget of Rs 3,839 crore has been sanctioned for health and family welfare in 2017-18 and efforts are being made to expand medical education along with health services in a planned and systematic manner.

The Chief Minister said under the global health services norms, there was acute shortage of doctors in the state. There are only 14,000 doctors in both public and private sector against the requirement of 16,000 doctors. The shortage could be met only with expansion of medical education.

The state government has been working in a planned manner to set up  medical colleges and medical universities. A medical college is being set up in each district. Process is underway to set up medical colleges in Jind and Bhiwani. A medical science university would be established in Karnal at a cost of about Rs 3,000 crore. Construction work is in progress on the 710-bedded National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar district, he added.

The Chief Minister said in order to provide right direction to nursing in the state, a nursing policy would be introduced. Nurse and Nurse Midwife Council is being set up for framing rules and conducting examinations for ANM, GNM and MPHW courses. Besides, Paramedical Board would be constituted to regulate paramedical education, he added.

A sum of Rs 450 crore had been spent on the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College being set up over 50 acres. Presently, the hospital has the capacity of 350 beds but it would be expanded to 650 beds, he added.

The Health Minister, Mr. Anil Vij, said all-out efforts had been made to provide world class facilities in the Kalpana Chawal Government Medical College and Hospital. Best OPD services have been provided in this medical college and hospital. Some countries have expressed interest in working in the field of health and medical field in Haryana and the state government would take appropriate step in this direction.

Mr. Vij said that all hurdles had been cleared for setting up of a medical college by the SGPC at Shahbad. The state government would spend Rs 26 crore on improving primary health centres in the state. As a result of the better health services being provided by the state government, the number of patients in OPDS has increased by 20 per cent, he added.

Others present on this occasion included Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Mr. Karan Dev Kamboj, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Bakhshish Singh Virk, Chairman, Hafed and MLA, Gharaunda, Mr. Harvinder Kalyan, MLA, Nilokheri, Mr. Bhagwan Dass Kabir Panthi, OSD to Chief Minister, Mr. Amarendra Singh, father of Late Ms. Kalpana Chawla, Mr. Banarsi Das Chawla and other dignitaries.