Accident death rate reduces by 3% under govt scheme: Ma Su

CHENNAI: Though accident cases have increased in 2022 in the State, fatalities reduced by 3 per cent under Innuyir Kaapom Nammai Kaakum 48 scheme, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Friday during his speech at the inauguration of a seminar for district-level health officers of Tamil Nadu health reform scheme in T Nagar.

"More than 1.35 lakh people have been benefited through Innuyir Kappom Nammai Kaakum 48 scheme. Though the accident rates have increased by 1.4 per cent from 57,877 in 2019 to 58,679 in 2022, death rate has fallen by 3 per cent from 16,736 deaths in 2019 to 16,232 deaths in 2022. Due to the pandemic, the data for 2020 and 2021 have not been taken into consideration," stated Ma Subramanian. A total of Rs 124 crore has been spent on the same.

On the other hand, under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme implemented in 2021 with a Budget of Rs 615.68 crore has been spend on more than one crore beneficiaries so far. The minister also mentioned that there is a decrease in death rates due to infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the state health department mentioned that a contract worker at Aruppukottai government hospital in Virudhunagar district was dismissed for bribery. Based on the complaints by the people, the joint director conducted an investigation, and later action was taken against the worker.

It may be recalled that Leader of Opposition (LoP) and AIADMK's 'interim' general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday criticised the ruling DMK government for dishing out wrong data in connection with Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme.