The Delhi government is expanding healthcare infrastructure, increasing medical college seats and recruiting doctors and nurses to strengthen services in the national capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday, according to news agency Press Trust of India.Inaugurating a newly developed in-vitro fertilisation centre at Sant Parmanand Hospital, Gupta said the government was also focusing on preventive care by setting up Ayushman Arogya Mandirs near residential areas. She stressed the need for public-private partnerships to develop Delhi as a medical hub.The chief minister said the government had increased the annual health cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to Rs 10 lakh by adding Rs 5 lakh to the Centre's existing coverage of Rs 5 lakh.More than 8.94 lakh Ayushman cards have been approved, while over 3.09 lakh senior citizens aged above 70 have been enrolled under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme.
More than 5.28 lakh beneficiaries of widow and disability pensions, along with their families, have also been covered under the scheme, Gupta said.According to PTI, Gupta said 415 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 29 Jan Aushadhi Kendras had been started in Delhi. Five projects worth Rs 503.49 crore have also been taken up to expand hospital infrastructure.
Modern medical equipment and facilities, including a neuro intensive care unit, have been developed at GB Pant Hospital. The government has also made 300 dialysis machines available across 16 government hospitals, she said.The government is increasing undergraduate medical seats from 595 to 820 and postgraduate seats from 553 to 762.
A medical college is also being developed at Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka at a cost of Rs 805.99 crore, Gupta said.More than 1,200 nurses and 954 senior resident doctors have been appointed to strengthen the healthcare workforce, while over 4,000 new posts have been approved, she added.Highlighting the move towards digital healthcare, Gupta said more than one crore ABHA IDs had been created in Delhi and a Digital Health Management System had been implemented in 38 government hospitals.The government is also providing 56 types of free tests for newborns, conducting 10,000 free cancer screenings and offering free HPV vaccination to girls aged between nine and 14 years, she said.The new centre at Sant Parmanand Hospital will provide reproductive medicine services, including in-vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Specialist fertility doctors and embryologists will assist patients with examinations, treatment and counselling.The measures announced by Gupta cover expanded health insurance, preventive and digital healthcare, hospital infrastructure, medical education, staff recruitment and specialised reproductive services across Delhi.- Ends