30 percent increase in MBBS seats in last four & half years: PM Modi

New Delhi: Emphasising the increase of 30 per cent in MBBS seats, in the last four-and-half years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that NDA government is giving priority to healthcare so that all citizens are healthy and healthcare is made affordable.

"The numbers of undergraduate medical seats have been increased by almost 30 per cent in last four-and-half year. The launch of Ayushman Bharat is also a big step. It is a carefully thought out approach to ensure the implementation of universal health coverage for our country. The 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres are being set up to provide comprehensive primary care and preventive health services," said Prime Minister Modi.

Further outlining the effect of Ayushman Bharat, he said: "One crore fifty-seven lakh persons of Tamil Nadu state are covered in this scheme. In just over three months about 89,000 beneficiaries were admitted and an amount of more than Rs 200 crore has been authorised for admitted patients of Tamil Nadu. The state has already started 1320 health and wellness centre."

After the foundation stone laying ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai, the Prime Minister said: "The laying of foundation stone of AIIMS reflects our vision of 'Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat'. We all know that AIIMS in Delhi had cultivated a brand name for itself in healthcare. With AIIMS in Madurai, we can say that this brand of healthcare has been taken to all corners of the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and from Guwahati to Gujarat".

PM Modi also inaugurated the super speciality blocks of Rajaji Medical College, Madurai, Thanjavur Medical College and Tirunelveli Medical College as part of upgradation projects of these facilities.