West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee highlighted the work done by her government in improving the healthcare situation in her state on World Health Day on Saturday.
Banerjee, who is also the chief of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), took to Twitter on the occasion to underline the activities undertaken by the state government.
She wrote that people in the state receive free treatment at government hospitals and health centres.
“At government hospitals and health centres in Bengal, we provide free treatment to all. Medicines and diagnostic procedures are available at discounted rates,” she wrote.
“We have made good progress in health infrastructure development,” added Banerjee.
The CM, who is angling for a non-BJP and non-Congress federal front, said that her government lays special emphasis on maternal and neonatal health.
“As a result, infant mortality rate (IMR) has come down to 25 from 32. Institutional delivery rate has increased from 65 per cent to 95 per cent in the last six years,” said Banerjee adding that her government is committed to “ensuring health for all” in the state.
Healthcare has been one of the many areas of discord between the central and the Bengal government. Mamata has on previous occasions lambasted the NDA government at the Centre led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Centre’s massive healthcare scheme.
Read More: Why should State pay 40% in Centre’s healthcare plan? Mamata
“They announced a health insurance scheme without allocating money. Now they are saying States have to bear 40 per cent cost. Why would the State pay?” she asked at a public meeting on 14 February referring to the scheme announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech.
Jaitley had during his budget speech announced the National Health Protection Scheme under which Rs 5 lakh cover will be provided a year to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country, which will benefit 50 crore people.
“If the State has the capacity, it will carry out such a scheme on its own,” she had said.
The World Health Day is an annual global health awareness day celebrated since 1950 on 7 April to mark the founding day of the World Health Organisation (WHO).