Shah referred to Modi’s remarks that the biggest problem leading to poverty was illness and the biggest reason for continued illness is the cost of treatment, while speaking at the opening of the Bengaluru campus of the Adichunchanagiri University (ACU).
The union government, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana, was making all medicines available at 20% of the market price at 15,000 locations. The PM has also taken several measures to increase the number of doctors in the country, he noted.
In 2014, there were seven All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the country. Today there are 23. The number of medical colleges has increased from 387 to 780; MBBS seats have increased from 51,000 to 1,18,000; and the number of postgraduate medical seats has risen from 31,000 to 74,000, the union home minister said.The PM, Shah added, Centre built 12 crore toilets in households, launched the Fit India Movement, initiated the International Day of Yoga, and offered free vaccination for children of up to 15 years of age. The Poshan Abhiyan addresses the nutrition deficit of mothers and children, paving the way for building a healthy citizenry.
Shah praised the work of the Adichunchanagiri seer the late Balagangadharanatha Swamiji and his successor and the current head of the mutt Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji in the areas of education and healthcare. The Mutt is doing excellent work by running health centres in villages, providing free treatment for the poor, and establishing educational centres for children, he said.
Source: Economic Times
