With a budgetary provision of Rs 2302 crore and launch of new schemes for health sector, the Himachal government is vying to make the state most healthy state in the country.

A government spokesperson said efforts are being made to provide quality health services to every citizen to improve upon health index.

“Soon after assuming the office, the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur took a firm decision to fill up the 500 vacancies of doctors and 2000 Para Medical staff,” he said.

The spokesperson said the government in its first budget has launched various new health schemes alongwith effective implementation of existing ones.

Most ambitious of these schemes are Swasthya Main Sehbhagita Yojna, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, Mukhyamantri Rajya Swasthya Chikitsa Yojna, HP Sarvbhomik Swasthya Sanrakshan Yojna.

The government would provide the facility of multi diagnostic facilities including random blood sugar test, blood pressure and other laboratory tests in normal health checkups for early detection of diseases under Mukhyamantri Nirog Yojna, he said.

Further, 4.84 lakh families are being given free and cashless treatment up to Rs 30000 for normal treatment while Rs 1.75- 2.15 lakh is provided for treatment of serious diseases under Swasthya Bima Yojna.

The spokesperson said as children are the future of country and their health is of paramount importance, the government would provide a kit of Rs 1500 to the newborn babies. “It   will benefit one lakh newborn babies and a provision of Rs 15 crore has been made for this purpose,” he said, adding adolescent girls are being provided sanitary napkins for Rs 1 per packet.

He said the government is also encouraging the private hospital facilities in the rural areas and for this purpose ‘Swasthya Main Sehbhagita Yojna’ has been announced. “Under this scheme if any person or doctor establishes a private allopathic hospital in an identified rural area, then he/she will be provided an investment subsidy of 25 percent for establishment of hospital upto an investment of Rs 1 crore. Further, 5 percent interest subsidy for three years would be provided to them for the loan taken from the bank,” he said, adding it will help in providing better health facilities in the rural areas.

In addition to this, ‘Bike Ambulance Service’ has been started which is known as First Responder Bike to provide healthcare facilities in geographically tough area.