Over 20,000 staff added to public health system: UPA
By IANSTuesday, June 1, 2010
NEW DELHI - Over 20,000 doctors and paramedic staff were added to the public health system during last one year, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday, releasing the report card to mark the first year of the United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) second term in office.
The report card also cited the addition of over 53,000 accredited social health activists, setting up and renovation of a large number of primary and community health centres and sub-centres as landmarks for the health ministry.
The successful dealing of H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic was also mentioned among the major achievements of the ministry.
“The H1N1 pandemic was managed effectively. More than one crore in-bound passengers were screened at international airports,” the report card said.
In other achievements, it said that the Central Research Institute, Kasuali, Pasteur Institute of India, Coonoor, and BCG Vaccine Laboratory, Guindy, have been enabled to resume production of vaccines.
The report card says an overall decrease has been registered in the epidemic diseases.
“There was reduction in mortality due to malaria, kala-azar and dengue, as well as reduction in the incidence of filarial infection. In respect of tuberculosis, a cure rate of 87 percent has been maintained,” it said.
The first phase of the six All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-like institutions sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana has started, it added.
