Guwahati: Assam has emerged as role model in the health sector of the country by implementing the highest number of schemes under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said o Sunday. Inaugurating the 102 National Ambulance Service and Tele Radiology Project along with other schemes under the NRHM here, the Union Health Minister lauded the state government’s initiative in the health sector which he said would be replicated in other states as well.
“The 102 service would augment the existing 108 ambulance service, which has greatly benefited patients across the country and will provide quality transportation of patients to hospitals”, he said.
The ambulance service would respond and reach patients within half an hour, besides transporting pregnant women and infants from home to hospital and if required back to home as well, the Union Minister said.
Azad also launched the Tele Radiology Project, the first in the country to initiate the project under the NRHM.
The Rs 22 crore project as been initiated in 11 districts of the state and the facility would be gradually expanded with patients able to download their reports assessed by experts stationed at Guwahati or Bangalore– without taking the trouble of visiting the hospital again, Azad added.
Azad also inaugurated the National Health Mission Free Drug Service, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram, National Iron Plus Initiative, Assam Mother and Child Tracking System and Mother and Child Health Wings in 14 districts of the state.
The minister also announced that Assam would be given Rs 100 crore to provide 200 types of medicines free to the patients. (PTI)