The Government is committed to strengthening medical infrastructure in the country and its efforts are directed towards regional development of hospitals and medical colleges equipped with the best facilities.

This was stated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare on the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Super Specialty Block at the Tirumala Devaswom Medical College at Alappuzha in Kerala.

Shri V S Sivakumar, Health Minister, Keraka; Shri AK Antony, MP (RS); Shri Vayalar Ravi, MP (RS); and Shri K C Venugopal, MP (LS) were also present at the function.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union health Minister stated that the Government has embarked on an ambitious plan to expand tertiary care in a big way in the country under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji.

The upgradation project of T.D. Medical College, Alappuzha is another step in that direction, as part of the scheme to upgrade Medical Colleges the under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

With the upgradation, Super Specialty Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Cardiology, Cardio Thoracic Surgery, Nephrology, Urology, Medical Gastroenterology, Plastic surgery and Endocrinology will get created in the existing medical college at an approved cost of 150 crores.

This will add 200 beds, 50 ICU beds, 8 OTs to the Institute, Shri Nadda stated. He added that a similar project has also been approved for Kozhikode Medical College, work on which will start soon. Tertiary care facilities will thus get a boost with all these projects coming up.

Shri Nadda further added that under Phase-I of PMSSY, the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has been upgraded at an approved outlay of 120 crore (Central contribution-Rs.100 crore and State share 20 crore).

Noting that the State of Kerala has shown the progress at all fronts, the Health Minister stated that 521.99 crore during F.Y. 2014-15 and 270.42 crore during F.Y. 2015-16 (so far) have been released to Kerala state for implementation of programmes approved under National Health Mission (NHM). He expressed the belief that these new initiatives shall improve the healthcare facilities in the State.