A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated seven state-of-the-art cancer hospitals to the people of Assam during a programme in Dibrugarh on Thursday.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of seven more cancer hospitals in the state. Prime Minister first visited the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) where he inaugurated the cancer care centre.
PM Modi later addressed a public rally at Khanikar from where he virtually inaugurated six more cancer hospitals and laid the foundation for seven more newly-sanctioned cancer hospitals in the state that are being set up under Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) - a joint initiative of the Assam government and Tata Trusts.
"We inaugurated seven new cancer hospitals in Assam today. Today, I remember the great personalities of Assam who contributed to the state. There was a time when even one hospital getting opened up in seven years was a thing to celebrate. Times have changed now. Today we have inaugurated seven hospitals in a single day. I have been told three more cancer hospitals will be ready for your service in a few months. Hospitals are at your service, but I will be happy if these new hospitals remain empty. No one should suffer from illness. I pray for your health," the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that the cancer hospitals would benefit healthcare capacity in the Northeast as well as South East Asia. "Cancer has been a big problem not only in Assam but also in the Northeast. Our poorest middle-class families are the worst affected by this," he said.
The Prime Minister complimented Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Tata Trusts for taking many steps to address this long-pending problem in Assam.
PM Modi said that his government was ensuring that the poor get free treatment in the best hospitals and added that schemes like Ayushman Bharat provide free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to the patients. "Our government has also focused on preventive healthcare with yoga, fitness, and swachhata'. New testing centres are being opened up in the country," he said.
The Prime Minister further mentioned that to address the shortfall in the number of doctors in the country, more than 70,000 new medical seats have been added for MBBS and postgraduate students in the last seven years.
"Our government has also made more than five lakh AYUSH doctors at par with allopathic doctors. We are revolutionizing the health sector through the digitization of health services. The effort of the government is to get rid of long lines for treatment so that healthcare is easily accessible. We have implemented schemes one after the other," Modi said.
Modi asked everyone to get vaccinated as the government has expanded the ambit of vaccination by approving vaccination of children and precaution doses for adults.
"The Central and the Assam governments are working sincerely to give a better life to lakhs of families working in the tea gardens. From free rations to the facilities available under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana, the Assam Government is reaching the families in tea gardens rapidly," he said, and added, "In Assam, road, rail and air network expansion is visible, creating new opportunities for poor, youth, women, children, deprived and tribal communities."
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "PM's vision givies inspirations and new momentum to development in the Northeast."
He said that the health insfrastrcuture in Assam received a major boost under the leadership of the Prime Minister. He also said that earlier the cancer patients from the state had to travel to Vellore and Mumbai, but under the new initiative they would get affordable cacercare in Assam.
The Chief Minister also invited the Prime Minister for the inauguration of the AIIMS in Guwahati in November this year and to grace the 400th birth anniversary celebration of Mahabir Lachit Barphukan to be held at New Delhi on November 24 this year.
The Chief Minister thanked Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata for his unprecedented commitment, support and cooperation in realizing the cancercare foundation and new cancer centres.
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