NEW DELHI, Jan 22 (The CONNECT) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come up with yet another Gujarat Model – this time the health care programme.
Gujarat has made unprecedented progress in the health sector in the last 20 years and it has become a huge medical hub of India, Modi said addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Khodaldham Trust-Cancer Hospital via video message yesterday.
The state of which he has been the Chief Minister has presented a model of major reform in the health sector with the opening up of community health centres in every village, thereby extending health facilities to tribal and poor areas. “People’s trust in the facility of 108 ambulances in Gujarat has continuously strengthened”, he said.
There were only 11 medical colleges in Gujarat till 2002, whereas today the number has increased to 40. The number of MBBS seats here increased almost 5 times in 20 years and the number of PG seats have also increased by about 3 times. “Now we even have AIIMS in Rajkot”, he narrated.
Modi pointed out that there were only 13 pharmacy colleges in Gujarat in 2002 and their numbers have increased to around 100 today and the number of Diploma Pharmacy Colleges has also gone up from 6 to around 30 over the last 20 years.
The Prime Minister underlined the importance of detecting Cancer at the right stage for its treatment. He pointed out that the cancer already starts to spread by the time the people of the villages get diagnosed. To avoid such situations, he said, the Centre has built more than 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs at the village level where the emphasis is being laid on the early detection of many serious diseases including cancer.
“When cancer is detected early, doctors also get a lot of help in its treatment”, Modi said.
Women have also benefited greatly from the efforts of the Central Government as he mentioned Ayushman Arogya Mandir playing an important role in the initial detection of diseases like cervical cancer or breast cancer.
Noting that treatment of a serious disease like cancer becomes a big challenge for any person and family, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government is trying to ensure that no patient faces difficulties in cancer treatment. With this thinking, the Prime Minister said, about 30 new cancer hospitals have been developed in the country in the last 9 years, and work is underway on 10 new cancer hospitals.
The Prime Minister expressed great privilege in connecting with the holy land of Khodal Dham and the devotees of Khodal Maa. He underlined that Shri Khodaldham Trust has taken another important step in the field of public welfare and service with the foundation stone laying of the Cancer Hospital and Research Center in Amreli.
He said the Leuva Patidar community established the Shri Khodaldham Trust with the resolve of service, values and dedication 14 years ago and worked to change the lives of millions of people through its service. “Be it the field of education, agriculture or health, this Trust has done excellent work in every direction”, the Prime Minister said.
