'India seen as leader in health sector for its Covid handling'

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said other countries of the world look at India as a leader in the health sector after "we handled the Covid-19 pandemic so efficiently under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

In response to a question on the development of healthcare facilities in the country, the Health Minister said the Central and the state governments need to work together in the health sector.

Replying to another query on states receiving more authority to deal with disease outbreaks, the Health Minister said the House that even though Health was a state subject, there was no gap in between the Centre and the states while tackling issues in the health sector.

Answering a question of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien who asked questions about the medical bills of ex-servicemen, Mandaviya said that the government is committed towards the welfare of the ex-servicemen and always ready to provide services to those with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cards.

He also said that earlier the CGHS facility was provided to 75 cities in the country which has increased to 81 cities now.

Responding to the question of Samajwadi Party Member Rewati Raman Singh, the Minister of State, Health, Bharati Pawar said that altogether, 22 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are being set up in the country.

Out of 10 proposed in the first phase, six have started functioning with all departments.

"Over 15,000 patients are being examined at these six AIIMS, over seven thousand major and minor surgeries have been doing in these AIIMS while the OPD facility in another 10 AIIMS will start soon", Pawar said.

Replying to the question of DMK MP T Siva about the new AIIMS proposed in Tamil Nadu, she told the House that the site has been earmarked in Madurai.

"This AIIMS is being built with the funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency and the appointment of the Project Management Consultant has also been appointed."

She said that the land for AIIMS in Darbhanga has been finalised by the state government and the work on the building will start soon.