Chennai: Tamil Nadu has emerged as a leading State in the country in the health sector and its sophisticated medicare services, manpower and infrastructure make the State a role model to be emulated, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said on Monday.
Speaking after launching the Amma Maternity Nutrition Kit worth Rs. 4,000 for pregnant women at the Egmore Government Maternity Hospital here the Chief Minister said taking into account the need to enhance the facilities at Government Hosptials across the State, the government has been enhancing the budgetary allocation for the health department.
“Since the last eight years about Rs 62,705.17 crore has been allotted to the health department. During 2019 - 20 fiscal alone Rs 12,563.83 crore has been allocated to the health sector. Also, about 17 lakh mothers had benefitted under the Amma baby kit, which was launched by Amma (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) in September 2015,” Mr Palaniswami said.
The Amma Maternity Nutrition Kit, announced during 2018 - 19 fiscal, aims at providing iron tonic and nutritional supplements to pregnant women in two phases - once at 12 weeks and the second time between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. The kit is being given under the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit scheme, under which the pregnant women will receive cash assistance. Last year the assistance under this scheme was increased to Rs 18,000 from Rs 12,000 provided earlier and besides Rs 14,000 aid, each beneficiary would get the kit for Rs 4,000.
“The scheme will benefit about eight lakh pregnant women every year and would significantly reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates,” Palaniswami said. Stating that the Egmore Government Maternity Hospital has been rendering yeoman service, the CM said as the GH steps into 150th year of existence it would have a new building constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore. Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, health minister Dr. C. Vijayabaskar besides officials participated in the function.
