Rajasthan: Each health centre to have 10 oxygen concentrators under MLA LAD fund

JAIPUR: Every Community Health Centre (CHC) in the state will have at least 10 oxygen concentrators along with power back-ups to deal with any medical emergency. Some of the CHCs located far away from the civil hospitals will have ICU facilities with Bipap machines and other medical equipment. The state has over 3,500 CHCs.
These are some of the newly added eligible works in the revised guidelines of the MLA LAD fund. The aim is to utilise the entire fund on upgrading and strengthening healthcare for at least in the present financial year. This financial year, the state government has increased the allocation of funds from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5crore. It is estimated that Rs 600 crore will be utilised on improving healthcare.
The health department has carried out an extensive survey of its existent health care system and identified areas in which improvement is required. They have submitted to the rural department which has finalised the draft and submitted it to chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
“Every CHC, PHC and other healthcare centre has been evaluated on the footfall, projections in the coming years, facilities and location. Thereafter, a gap analysis has been done to list out how to strengthen the facilities,” said Siddhart Mahajan, secretary, health and family welfare department.
The fund will also be allocated for installing oxygen plants at CHCs where footfall is much higher. “The detailed list of medical and other equipment have been provisioned in the list of MLA LAD funds. It will change the face of the healthcare system forever in the state,” said Mahajan. Several buildings which require repair and up-gradation will also be done with the funds.
MLA LAD fund has been set up for land area development with a major focus on infrastructure, repair of roads, streets, water pipeline, electricity poles, community centres, health and relief work.