New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said his government’s aim is to set up one medical college in every district to further strengthen the health infrastructure of the country.
“Keeping in mind the future challenges, our government is continuously working on strengthening the health infrastructure. After Independence there was only one AIIMS, now there are 22 AIIMS,” he said in a virtual address on the occasion of ‘Jan Aushadhi Diwas’. “Our target is to set up one medical college in every district,” Modi said.
Informing that over 8,500 ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendras’ have been opened so far, he said: “These centres are now becoming solution centres for the common man and not just another government store. “In this financial year, through these kendras, over Rs 800 crore medicines were sold. Through these, the poor, middle class and lower middle class saved around Rs 5,000 crore. Altogether around Rs 13,00 crore saved so far,” he said.
Expressing his satisfaction that the benefits of these kendras are reaching all segments, the Prime Minister said: “Women get sanitary napkins at Rs 1. More than 21 crore sanitary napkins were sold. This shows that how these kendras are making the life of the women easier.”
He said that more than 50 crore people were in the ambit of Ayushman Bharat Yojana and added that over three crore people have taken benefit of the scheme, saving Rs 70,000 crore of the poor and middle-class people.
Modi added that the government has decided that half the seats in private medical colleges will be charged at par with government medical colleges.
Earlier, while interacting with the beneficiaries of the Jan Aushudi kendras, he said: “Our government’s effort is to lower the medicine cost for the poor, lower and middle class.” (UNI)
