Number of medical seats up by 30% in four and half yrs, says PM

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the launch of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Madurai highlighting the about achievements of his government has claimed that the total number of seats in medical colleges at the undergraduate level has gone up by around 30 per cent.

The number of MBBS seats at present is close to 65,000 which was around 51,000 four years back and if one adds the total number of BDS (Dental) seats available which is over 25,000 right now, the total number of Undergraduate level seats available goes up to nearly 90,000.

Prime Minister said during the launch of AIIMS Madurai said that the idea is to ensure that everyone is healthy and health care is affordable. He added, “The speed and scale at which Mission Indra Dhanush is working is setting a new paradigm in preventive healthcare. Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandhana Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan is making Safe pregnancy a mass movement. The number of UG medical seats have been increased by 30% in the last four and half years.”

The new AIIMS will come up at Thoppur in Madurai. Addressing a gathering in Madurai, PM said “AIIMS in Delhi has cultivated a brand name for itself in healthcare. With AIIMS in Madurai, we can say that this brand of healthcare has been taken to all corners of the country - from Kashmir to Madurai and from Guwahati to Gujarat. AIIMS at Madurai will benefit the entire population of Tamil Nadu.”

Prime Minister also inaugurated the super speciality blocs of Rajaji Medical College, Madurai, Thanjavur Medical College and Tirunelveli Medical College, as a part of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, which aims to upgrade 73 medical colleges across the country.