Robust improvement in Gujarat's public health infra in last two decades: govt data

Ahmedabad: Gujarat witnessed a significant improvement in public health infrastructure in the last two decades driven by the state government's efforts to ensure that quality medical services reach every corner, as per official data. In the state budget 2023-24, the government allocated Rs 15,182 crore for the healthcare sector, compared to Rs 12,240 crore provisioned for this sector in the 2022-23 budget. Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai had also announced to double the insurance cover under the revamped Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana-Mukhyamantri Amrutam (PMJAY-MA) scheme from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh in the state budget presented last February.

Gujarat's healthcare infrastructure has also witnessed growth, with a 41 per cent surge in primary health centres and a 37 per cent increase in community health centres between 2001-02 and 2021-22. The state now hosts 319 CHCs, 1,463 PHCs, and 6,575 sub-centres, as per the data. The number of medical colleges in Gujarat has also risen sharply from nine in 2001 to more than 30 in 2023.

Notably, the world's first WHO-Global Centre for Traditional Medicine was inaugurated in 2022, putting Gujarat on the global healthcare map. According to the World Health Organisation, this centre will act as a knowledge hub with a mission to catalyse ancient wisdom and modern science for the health and well-being of people and the planet. Furthermore, the government has invested Rs 643 crore to enhance diagnostic facilities across all state government hospitals. The "Srestha Gujarat" initiative receives Rs 350 crore, backed by Rs 4,200 crore aid from the World Bank, as per the government data.

Women's health takes centre stage with the allocation of Rs 324 crore to women-oriented schemes. Another Rs 250 crore fortifies urban health services, and additionally, Rs 71 crore is designated for constructing new healthcare buildings. In the realm of medical services, Rs 270 crore are earmarked for the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission- a Central scheme to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research- spanning urban and rural areas aiming to make communities self-reliant in managing such pandemic/health crises.

The state government has allocated a substantial sum of Rs 3,997 crore for medical education and research, including plans for new medical colleges and nursing colleges, as per the data.

Going by the achievements and schemes of the Gujarat government in public health, experts believe the state is set for a transformative journey towards a healthier and brighter future for all its residents.