dda lays foundation stone for new super specialty block at GMCH

Union Health minister stresses on all-round healthcare

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Feb 21: Union Health minister JP dda today laid the foundation stone for a super specialty block at Guwahati Medical College & Hospital and asserted that the government is committed to provide adequate facilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare in order to reduce the out-of-pocket burden on the citizens.

"The government is focused on strengthening the primary healthcare system while at the same time providing adequate facilities to secondary and tertiary healthcare in order to reduce the out-of-pocket burden on our citizens," he said.

The Union Health Minister said that the Central government has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand tertiary care in a big way in the country. Noting that Assam has shown progress in all health indicators, the Health Minister stated that the super specialty department at the GMCH will include pediatrics surgery, haematology, gastroenterology, gastrointestil (GI) surgery, endocrinology and burns & plastic surgery. "This will add 190 beds, 60 ICU beds, 6 OTs to the institute at an approved cost of Rs 150 crore," he said.

Foundation stone of a similar project was laid at Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh on February 12. "Tertiary care facilities will thus get a boost with all these projects coming up," said dda.

He said that a new AIIMS has been announced for Assam by the government and very soon the work on the project will start. The government has also decided to upgrade district hospitals at gaon, North Lakhimpur and Dhubri to the status of a Medical College. Rs 189 crore each will be sanctioned for these colleges. As a first installment, Rs 22 crore has been released to the State government.