Our Correspondent
Imphal, May 31(EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday announced while speaking at the programme of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ that the state government is all set to provide free diagnostic facilities at the government hospitals from July 1 this year.
Informing that the state government has identified 57 different tests for the said purpose to be conducted at government health care centres including JNIMS and RIMS, Chief Minister said no one has to pay a single Paisa for these 57 notified tests, which include all blood tests, X-ray, CT scan, all tests for pregnant women and children etc.
He also said that the second initiative of the Government is that a partner for free diagnostics is being selected through a fair open tender process, which is duly assisted by the NHSRC under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for providing free diagnostic facilities to further support the State’s free diagnostics initiative.
“Recently, we have launched the Jan Aushadhi stores selling generic medicines, where cost of generic medicines is much less than the branded medicines. We are going to increase free drug supply from about 100 medicines to over 300 types of medicines, which would cover almost all ailments,” he said. “I urge the Health Department to fast track the tender process so that the additional free medicine supplies commence within the next three months.” With this initiative of free diagnostics and free drugs and medicines, the cost of treatment would be negligible, if not totally free, he added.In her speech, Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that tobacco consumption and smoking had caused highest number of deaths among the low and middle income groups in the countries like India. She said tobacco consumption and smoking are the major threats to economic wellbeing and sustainable development of the country and the State.
State health minister L Jayantakumar and parliamentary secretary (health) S Subhaschandra also spoke during the day’s observation. The programme was jointly organised by Directorate of Health Services, Manipur, State Health Society, National Health Mission, Manipur and District Health Societies of Imphal East and Imphal West.
