Union govt takes cues from TN schemes: Health minister

Pudukkottai: Tamil Nadu continues to be a frontrunner in providing healthcare in the country and the Union govt follows its steps to implement several welfare initiatives, said health minister Ma Subramanian. He was talking to reporters at Pudukkottai govt hospital on Saturday after inaugurating a cancer radiotherapy centre constructed at a cost of Rs 5.3 crore there.The TN govt's drive to administer 14-year-old girls with HPV vaccine is the first in the world, he said. "The Union govt has said it will also implement the scheme. Besides, as the state govt's Innuyir kaapom scheme in which beneficiaries will get Rs 2 lakh, the Union govt has introduced a scheme to give Rs 1.5 lakh. Similarly, the Centre has been picking up cues from other TN's schemes as well," he said.The minister said Tamil Nadu attracts patients from across the country to its govt medical colleges and hospitals. "The number of people seeking treatment in govt facilities have increased significantly in recent years due to improved infrastructure, modern equipment and enhanced services."He said more than two crore people have benefitted from the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam initiative so far. He said around 3.38 lakh children are currently receiving HPV vaccine under the state's cervical cancer prevention programme. "Tamil Nadu records the lowest maternal and infant mortality rates in India and has also received recognition from the United Nations for its healthcare initiatives."The minister said nearly one lakh people are diagnosed with cancer in the state every year and that the govt is expanding cancer treatment facilities across districts. "Twenty-seven districts in the state have cancer screening centres compared to five a few years ago."