75% jump in MBBS seats in 7 yrs: Minister

Amaravati:Various schemes initiated by the Central government for providing quality healthcare services at affordable prices have started showing good results, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said here on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference at the end of her three-day visit to Andhra Pradesh, the Union minister said medical infrastructure has seen a major push in the last seven years with the setting up of new medical colleges and also facilities in hospitals across the country. “In the last seven years, 209 medical colleges have been added, marking a 54 per cent increase in government medical colleges and 37 per cent in the private sector. In addition, 157 new medical colleges have been approved and 71 of them have become functional,” she pointed out.

This has resulted in a 75 per cent increase in MBBS seats and 95 per cent rise in post-graduation seats. She said the Centre has been continuously providing funds and technical support to the states for various schemes. “Every scheme and policy of the Narendra Modi government is targeted towards the uplift of the poor. Seva (service) is the goal of this government and we are strengthening the implementation of the schemes,” the Union minister added.

Under the National Health Mission (NHM), Andhra Pradesh has been granted Rs 2,063 crore, including a central share of Rs 1,200 crore. Under the Emergency Covid Relief Package, the state has been given Rs 1,199 crore in two tranches. Also, a grant of Rs 490 crore was extended in 2021-22 under the 15th Finance Commission, Pawar said.

During her three-day visit, the minister visited some primary health centres, the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada, the genome sequencing laboratory, AIIMS-Mangalagiri and held a high-level review meeting on the health sector with state Health Minister V Rajini. As part of the BJP’s Grah Sampark (house contact) programme, she visited some households in Tenali town.