Guj has emerged as medical hub: Modi commends state's progress in healthcare

RAMESHWARAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Gujarat has made unprecedented progress in the healthcare space in the last 20 years, added that the state has emerged as a 'big medical hub'. PM Modi added that Gujarat has presented a healthcare model for other states to emulate.

"Gujarat has made unprecedented progress in the healthcare space in the last 20 years. Today, Gujarat has emerged as a medical hub in the country. Till 2002, there were only 11 medical colleges in Gujarat. Today, the count has gone to 40. In 20 years, the number of MBBS seats has increased five times while the number of PG seats has gone up three times," PM Modi said.

Virtually addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Khodaldham Trust Cancer Hospital in Gujarat, he said 30 new cancer hospitals have been opened in the state over the last nine years.

"The government wants to ensure that cancer patients don't face any problems while dispensing treatment to patients. In the last nine years, 30 new cancer hospitals have opened while work is underway for 10 more such hospitals," PM Modi said. He aded that the central government has built around 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

"These Mandirs focus on the early detection of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The early detection of cancer helps doctors treat it," he said. Noting that it is important that people remain healthy for the development of the country, PM Modi said as many as six crore people have benefited from the 'Ayushman Bharat Yojana'.

"For the development of the country, it is important that people remain healthy. We have also started the 'Ayushman Bharat Yojana' for the poor. This scheme has helped more than six crore people," he added. He added that women have greatly benefited from the efforts undertaken by the Centre in the healthcare space.

"Due to the efforts of the central government, our mothers, sisters and daughters have benefited a lot. The Ayushman Arogya Mandir plays an important role in the early detection of cervical cancer and breast cancer," he said.

Shree Khodaldham Trust (SKT), of the Leuva Patel sub-caste group of the Patidar community, will foray into the healthcare space, with the organisation laying the foundation stone for its cancer hospital for patients from all communities. PM Modi also congratulated the people belonging to the trust for the initiative.