The West Bengal government on Saturday announced that it will provide
free medicine and diagnostic services in its hospitals and health
centres to benefit a large section of people dependent on state
healthcare.
“Henceforth, all vital and essential medicines and all available
diagnostic services (except those run on PPP mode) will be provided free
to all patients in government-run health centres and hospitals,” Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters at the secretariat.
Free medicines and diagnostic services would also be provided to
patients in free beds in block primary health centres and rural health
centres run by the government, the Chief Minister said dubbing it a
“landmark” decision.
“Moreover, all expecting mothers and all children up to one year of age
will get all vital and essential medicines and all available diagnostic
services free in all health centres and hospitals run by the government
in the state,” she said.
The Chief Minister also announced the upgrade of three medical college
and hospitals in the western and
northern parts of the state.
They would now have specialised facilities which will spare patients the
hassle of coming down to Kolkata for treatment at a government
facility, she said.
“Bankura Medical College and Hospital, Malda Medical College and
Hospital and North Bengal Medical College and Hospital will be upgraded
soon,” she said.
Trauma care, specialised services in areas like oncology, nephrology,
endocrinology, paediatric surgery and more would be provided at these
hospitals, she said.
The upgrade would cost the state exchequer Rs 450 crore, she said.
-The Hindu
