Kancheepuram listed in new medical college demand

Palaniswami’s announcement assumes significance as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had recently given its nod to AIADMK government’s proposal to establish six new medical colleges.

Accordingly, the institutes will come up in Tirupur, The Nilgiris, Ramanathapuram, Namakkal, Dindigul and Virudhunagar at a cost of ₹1,950 crores and will be attached to existing hospitals in these districts.

“We have approached the Centre to set up four more medical colleges, which will be coming up in Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Kancheepuram districts,” Palaniswami said.

Stating that this year alone the Centre has given permission to open nine new government medical colleges, the Chief Minister said “with the establishment of these medical colleges, a total of 900 additional medical seats have been generated.”

On the medical staff recruitment, he said, “so far Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB), which was started in 2012 in the state, have recruited 12,823 doctors, 10,085 nurses and 27,436 paramedical staff. At present, the MRB also freshly appointed as many as 5,224 medical staff and the appointment orders have also been given to them.”

Claiming that mobile medical services for the rural people is functioning well, Palaniswami said during the last eight years, the government has established 254 primary health centres at a cost of Rs 221 crore. “In addition to this, as many as 165 existing primary health centres were upgraded by providing 30-bed facilities each at a cost of Rs 190.37 crore,” he added.

The Chief Minister also said that the government had also established internet-based computerised eye testing clinic in each district.