E-Health Scheme to Create Database

A comprehensive health programme focussing on primary care, the first-ever e-health programme that will create an electronic health database of the entire population and a universal pre-paid health insurance scheme for all citizens are the highlights of the government’s initiatives in the health sector, Governor P. Sathasivam announced in the Assembly here on Friday.

Mr. Sathasivam said the government would implement a comprehensive health programme in which every primary health centre would be equipped to handle the health issues in a locality. Taluk and district hospitals would be suitably upgraded to provide specialty and super specialty care. The first-ever comprehensive e-health programme in the country, which will build a demographic database of all citizens with individual electronic health records, would soon be launched.

A new pre-payment health insurance scheme for all citizens would be announced. The government would upgrade all government medical colleges and make them the centres of medical research and academic excellence. Two of the medical colleges would be elevated to the status of the AIIMS.

He announced the setting up of special medical schemes for tribespeople, fishermen, the disabled and marginalised sections of society.