The Centre has launched new national programmes to control cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, stroke, sports injury and health of the elderly. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that an amount of 1,230 crore rupees has been set apart for the new schemes. Inaugurating a new super-specialty block built as part of upgrading the Government Medical College in Thiruananthapuram, he said, the Ministry had also taken steps to augment human resources in health sector.

AIR correspondent reports that this is aimed at elevating the treatment facilities equivalent to AIIMS. It is the second project of its kind in the country with an outlay of 120 crore rupees with 100 crore as central assistance to complete the project in two years.

Mr. Azad said, the government also expects an overall increase of 10,000 medical post graduate seats in the next two years with several relaxations in rules for running medical colleges. The ministry is currently running a 1,350 crore rupees scheme to strengthen and upgrade medical colleges for starting new PG courses, which was expected to add 4,000 PG seats to existing pool.

Mr. Azad said, systematic efforts are also being made to bring the doctor-patient ratio from 1 to 2000 to 1 to 1000. The government has relaxed requirement of land for opening medical colleges from 25 to 20 acres.

To address the faculty shortage in medical colleges, the maximum age for retirement had been increased from 65 to 70 in private colleges. He said, to tackle brain drain, the government had also recognised PG degrees obtained from foreign countries like USA.