Rs 23,220 Crore More Funding For Paediatric Facilities: Finance Minister

Finance Minister Sitharaman also announced a Rs 50,000 crore credit guarantee scheme for setting up of medical or health infrastructure by private hospitals in cities other than eight metropolitan cities.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced additional funding of Rs 23,220 crore for setting up paediatric beds and facilities in hospitals. Announcing a set of measures for reviving the economy battered by a severe second wave of COVID-19, Finance Minister Sitharaman also announced a Rs 50,000 crore credit guarantee scheme for setting up of medical or health infrastructure by private hospitals in cities other than eight metropolitan cities. "We are now providing Rs 23,220 crore more primarily focussing on children and paediatric care. This Rs 23,220 crore will be spent this financial year itself. "It will also focus on funding of HR augmentation so that medical students, interns, nurses can also be brought in for helping in such emergencies, ICU beds will be made available, oxygen supply at central, district and subdistrict level will be ensured and also making sure that equipments and medicines, teleconsultation and ambulance service... all of that will be taken care of with primary focus on children. So paediatric care is the emphasis," FM Sitharaman said at a press conference.