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????????????????????????????????????"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".? ? - World Health Organisation

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????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Health is a crucial factor in determining the human development index of a Country or State.? A healthy population can contribute productively to the overall economic growth of the society.? Hence the Government of Tamil Nadu, under the leadership of the HON'BLE CHIEF MINISTER has committed itself towards ensuring Health Security for all the people of the State.

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This will be achieved through (a) strengthening infrastructure in all public health facilities (b) providing referral linkage between primary, secondary and tertiary medical institutions (c) enhancing skill development and capacity of health providers (d) increasing use of information technology to provide health care and (e) building public private partnership to make health care available in remote and underserved areas.

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As a State, we have achieved considerable success in combating communicable diseases like Polio and Leprosy. We still have challenges to face in tackling not only Malaria and Tuberculosis, but also the looming sceptre of HIV/AIDS.? There is an urgent need to come to terms with non communicable diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension and Cancer which are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in our society.? These diseases can only be tackled by a strategy which combines awareness building and early detection with lifestyle changes and modern curative techniques.

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The Government will work together with Non Governmental Organisations to build awareness about these lifestyle diseases in the community.? This will be coupled with up-gradation of hospitals at all levels to provide modern diagnostic and curative services to detect and treat these ailments.

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The Government places great emphasis on providing quality health care for women and children.? By effectively implementing schemes for maternal and child health, we will be able to push the stagnant vital indicators such as the IMR & MMR down to the desirable level.

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A new fillip will be given to the family welfare programme. An effort will be made to increase male participation in contraception overcoming inhibitions? which are invalid and outdated.? The State Population Policy will be launched in the coming year, outlining the goals and strategies for improving the vital indicators of the State.

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Tamil Nadu is one of the? most urbanised States in the country.? Further, more than 30% of the urban population live in slums below the poverty line.? The Government has evolved a new policy for urban health care to ensure basic maternal and child care facilities with organized outreach, in all the urban local bodies in the State.

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All these efforts will be dovetailed into the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Development Project posed to the World Bank for funding at a cost of Rs.650 Crores.? Due to the intensive efforts taken by the State Government, the project will be taken up for appraisal during the current year.? The implementation of this project will go a long way in ensuring equity and access of basic health care to the people of the State.

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User charges have been introduced in the health system to increase resources available to hospitals and provide quality services to those who can afford them.? The Government has introduced a model paying ward in the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, for which there has been an overwhelming response.? It is proposed to extend the payment ward concept to other hospitals in a phased manner.

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The provision for Health and Family Welfare Department under Demand No.18 for 2003-2004 is Rs.1380.29 crores as detailed below:-

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Demand	Non Plan	Plan
		State Plan	Centrally Sponsored	Centrally Aided	Total
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
18 Health and Family Welfare Department	973.48	126.62	212.84	67.20	406.66

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Demand	Total Plan and Non Plan	Add Recoveries	Total
(1)	(7)	(8)	(9)
18 Health and Family Welfare Department	1380.14	0.15	1380.29

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The provision for 2003-2004 made under Demand No.18, Health and Family Welfare Department Directorate wise will be as follows:-

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(Rs. in Lakhs)

1	Secretariat	337.11
2	Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services	26796.89
3	Directorate of Medical Education	46199.45
4	Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine	50059.90
5	Directorate of Family Welfare	6728.08
6	Directorate of Drugs Control	516.47
7	Commissionerate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy	5229.37
8	Tamil Nadu State Health Transport Department	854.91
9	DANIDA Health Care Project	106.96
10	Reproductive and Child Health Project	1199.75
?	Total	138028.89

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a.? Funds towards Civil Works undertaken by Public Works Department have been provided to the tune of Rs.28.33 crores and have been included under the respective Directorates.

b.? Provision towards ESI Hospitals for Rs.84.44 crores has been provided in Labour and Employment Demand No.31.

c.? Funds for Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society have been included under Directorate of Medical Education.

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