Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel announced that by the end of 2023, the state will boast a total of 43 operational medical colleges, increasing the annual number of new doctors from 6,350 to 7,000.
The 2023-24 budget includes provisions for four new medical colleges, and three more announced in the previous year’s budget are expected to receive approval. The minister emphasized the state government’s goal of establishing a medical college in every district.
Patel highlighted the government’s dedication to expanding health services to rural areas, with plans for zone-wise superspecialty hospitals modeled after Ahmedabad Civil Medicity. Superspecialty hospitals in Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Bhavnagar have already received infrastructure upgrades, additional services, equipment, accommodation facilities, and healthcare worker appointments.
To ensure accessible healthcare for all, the state offers telemedicine and e-Sanjeevani services. The minister reported that these services have provided 25.97 lakh teleconsultations and benefited 9.87 lakh citizens through e-Sanjeevani OPDs.
Gujarat has made remarkable progress in healthcare, with maternal mortality rates at 57 and infant mortality rates at 23. The state government has also initiated screening-to-treatment programs at Health and Wellness Centers to combat non-communicable diseases due to lifestyle changes. Health screenings have been completed for 2.70 crore people thus far, according to Patel.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya-Ma Yojana covers 1.73 crore beneficiaries under its health insurance plan. The scheme’s insurance amount has been raised from INR 5 lakh to INR 10 lakh this year, which will aid in the treatment of serious and complex diseases.
With 8,844 health and wellness centers, 9,231 sub-health centers, 1,475 primary health centers, 354 urban primary health centers, 365 collective health centers, 59 sub-district hospitals, and 518 Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Gujarat’s village-level health systems have become optimal and effective, concluded the minister.
Reference:
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-to-have-43-medical-colleges-by-end-of-this-year-says-minister-8502071/
https://www.shiksha.com/news/medicine-health-sciences-gujarat-to-have-43-medical-colleges-by-end-of-2023-health-minister-blogId-118685
