Cardiac care programme for TN school students

Chennai, Apr 24 (UNI) Come June three, the birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the State Government will launch an exclusive cardiac care programme for school students, Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam told the State Assembly today.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said the programme was aimed at detecting and treating heart problems of school students.

Under the programme, students would be diagnosed for any heart ailment at the early stage through special camps organised in schools across the State.

Cardiac experts would analyse the students and if any of the students were found to have any ailment, they would be recommended for surgery at Government and private hospitals.

Stating that a sizeable number of children in the State were born with heart diseases due to rheumatic fever and several congenital problems, he said the State Government, to identify the maladies of heart problems early, would launch a programme at a cost of Rs five crore with assistance from the National Rural Welfare Scheme.

Mr Panneerselvam announced that 116 new primary health centres would be started at a cost of Rs 42.59 crore this year, besides opening two medical colleges in the backward districts of Perambalur and Sivaganga.

He said 24 hour delivery care facilities, which were opened in 1,000 Primary Health Centres in the State, would be extended to the remaining 421 PHCs during the current year.

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