Manmohan Singh calls for accessibility of medical and education facilities to the poor

Guwahati, Aug 25 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today stressed the need on balanced regional spread of medical facilities and education to make them accessible to the poor people in different regions.

Speaking after laying foundation stone of a new medical college at Jorhat here, Dr. Singh said, the country is facing insufficient medical education and health care facilities and it needs a special attention with a professional role.

Referring to National Rural Health Mission, Dr. Singh also stressed on more and more research and development and rural medical infrastructure for attaining the actual goal of the Mission.

He said that the National Rural Health Mission, which the UPA Government commenced in 2005, under the inspiring leadership of Sonia Gandhi, with the objective of strengthening rural public health infrastructure, has been able to make a good impact in Assam. In fact the achievement of Assam in fulfillment of the objectives has been acclaimed all over the world.

"The Mission in the last three years has sought to strengthen rural public health infrastructure in Assam and the early results are encouraging," he added.

"Through the work of the Mission, the villages of the State are today being served through over 26,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) who are each provided a radio set. Over 4,000 Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) along with 2,440 other nurses and doctors, ayurvedic doctors and specialists have been added in health units," Dr Singh said.

Dr. Singh further said that the impact of the improved health care infrastructure is evident from the fact that the institutional deliveries in the State have in the last four years have doubled.

"There are also innovative medical practices which have been introduced in the State through the National Rural Health Mission like the Mobile Unit. These mobile units are equipped with the latest equipment and medicines. They also have diagnostic facilities for x-rays, microscopes, ECG and Ultrasound machines, Autoclaves and a mobile pharmacy," he added.

Dr. Singh said that Assam has also initiated another noble initiative in the shape of "Boat Clinics" in cooperation with an NGO to provide services to people living in the ravine areas. In a country large and asymmetric like ours, we need to have multiple and innovative models for health care delivery and these initiatives are a testimony to that objective.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold discussions with a delegation of Satradhikar's from Majuli regarding flood erosion and conservation of problems of largest river island.

Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will address the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Guwahati. Later, he will visit the Tata Consultancy Services centre.

Before leaving for home, he is also scheduled to lay the foundation of the Kokrajhar University.

ANI