UP will get 8 new medical colleges: Nadda
LUCKNOW: Union health minister JP Nadda on Saturday said Uttar Pradesh will get eight new medical colleges to meet the demand to have at least one such institution among three Lok Sabha constituencies. Overall, 24 such institutions were announced for the country in the union budget. He also said the demand for setting up a virology centre in Gorakhpur will be fulfilled for treatment of Japanese Encephalitis.
LUCKNOW: Union health minister JP Nadda on Saturday said Uttar Pradesh will get eight new medical colleges to meet the demand to have at least one such institution among three Lok Sabha constituencies.
Overall, 24 such institutions were announced for the country in the union budget.
He also said the demand for setting up a virology centre in Gorakhpur will be fulfilled for treatment of Japanese Encephalitis that has claimed the lives of thousands of children in the past few decades and left many physically challenged.
Nadda was speaking at ‘UP vs TB’, a programme conducted to raise awareness about tuberculosis in the state.
“This year, there has been a change in the way the state government has addressed the Japanese Encephalitis issue by (planning to start) the vaccination in April only. This means, the children being vaccinated will get immunity against the virus for the entire crucial period from June onwards. This was not possible in previous years as vaccination was done late,” Nadda said.
He reiterated that India aimed to eradicate TB by 2025.
“We have decided to eradicate TB from India by 2025, that’s five years before what the World Health Organisation deadline. This is the difference of approach and leadership that our prime minister has given,” he said.
“The strategy has been made district-wise,” he said.
For speedy testing of TB patients’ samples, the central government was ready with 1100 gene xpert machines and 1000 of them had been installed, he said.
He praised chief minister Yogi Adityanath for paying attention to health issues.
Even as an MP, Adityanath had raised public health issues in parliament several times, he said.
Union minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel said strategic plans had been made to reduce TB incidence in the country.
“The national strategy for 2017-2025 is Detect-Treat-Prevent-Build for TB elimination,” said Patel.