On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed that healthcare expansion of AIIMS network from six to 22 and upgradation of super-speciality hospitals will improve the network of healthcare systems in the country. He asserted that more than 170 new medical colleges have been set up in the last six to seven years with ongoing work on more than 100 new medical colleges.

Laying the foundation stones for four District Medical Colleges (DMC) and Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Modi pointed that the four medical colleges will provide public healthcare services to people in districts of Sirohi, Hanumangarh, Banswara and Dausa. These are the steps are an attempt to expand the country’s healthcare services to make it more accessible across districts.

Talking about the government’s efforts to expand healthcare services, PM said, “We have worked on a national approach and national health policy to transform the country’s health sector. From Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to Ayushman Bharat and now Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, many such efforts are part of this approach.”

He added that the central government has been working hard to correct regional imbalance in healthcare with expansion of AIIMS network from 6 to 22 with medical colleges in aspirational districts and upgradation of super-speciality hospitals. Noted that Rajasthan had about 2000 undergraduate and less than 1000 post-graduate medical seats which has now increased to more than 4000 and 2100, respectively.

PM Modi added that the fast-growth observed in petro-chemical industry, the new CIPET institute of petrochemical technology can possibly create new opportunities of developing skills for the younger segment of the population.

Present in the ceremony, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted that medical colleges in the four districts which are primarily tribal and under-developed will hugely benefit the local people through affordable medical education and good quality health care services.