Ashwini Kumar Choubey at Rashtrapati Bhavan during cabinet reshuffle in New Delhi on Sunday. Pic By Neeraj Priyadarshi.New Delhi.030917
The government is aiming to ease ailing patients from economic constrains and provide affordable treatment to all sections of the society, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey said on Monday. While interacting with the journalists at an event organised by the Chandigarh Press Club, the minister said the government was keeping a close watch on sale of expensive stents. “We are keeping a close vigil on those who are still selling expensive stents and related requirement against the prescribe mandate by the Union government and all are subjected to the severe actions, if found guilty.” Choubey said.
The minister said his ministry is looking forward to a healthy India. “My ministry is looking forward to healthy India. People need to be more aware of cleanliness around them and their health that will further help them keep away from medical treatment,” he said.
Asked about the huge difference in the cost of manufacturing medicines and selling them to the public, he said the entrepreneurs, pharmacists, NGO and charitable trusts to be partner in the government’s Jan Aushadhi Scheme which entitles incentives up to Rs 2.5 lakh. “The Modi govt’s dream is to implement this project in every nook and corner of the country benefiting not only the patients but the entrepreneurs as well,” he said. Chaubey said the Union health ministry has constituted a committee to probe the donation of 14 dead bodies by Dera Sacha Sauda to a private medical college in Uttar Pradesh.
Minister visits PGI, no senior official present
No senior official from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research administration was there to receive Ashwini Kumar Choubey when he visited the Advance Trauma Centre (ATC) in the evening. Sources in the PGI said the minister had informed PGI director Dr Jagat Ram in the afternoon that he would reach the institute at 4 pm. “Then we received information that his (Choubey) visit has been cancelled and he is not coming,” said an official.
Choubey in the evening again contacted Ram and told him that he would reach the institute in “few minutes”. Sources said Ram was in Amritsar and was on his way to Chandigarh when he received the call. Sources said PGI’s Deputy Director Administration was also on leave and Choubey was informed that he would be received by the acting director.
