T.N. Health Dept. leading the way with flagship schemes, says Udhayanidhi

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday (December 7, 2024) said the State’s Health Department is the frontrunner in the country when it comes to reaching out to people with its various flagship health schemes.

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday (December 7, 2024) said the State’s Health Department is the frontrunner in the country when it comes to reaching out to people with its various flagship health schemes.

Mr. Udhayanidhi was speaking at the inauguration of ‘Healthy India, Happy India’, a collaborative initiative by Naruvi Hospitals and The Hindu, in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the Health Department was recently honoured with the U.N. Inter-Agency Task Force award for 2024 for one of its flagship schemes, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM). “The scheme has created a significant impact on the lives of around two crore people in the State by providing them with essential health services. In its report, the NITI Aayog stated that Tamil Nadu was the frontrunner in at least 13 key departments, including health, in the country,” he said.

Speaking about the proactive measures of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in bringing health services to people’s doorstep, Mr. Udhayanidhi said Mr. Stalin has taken the Health Department in the State to the “next level” by introducing various health schemes, including ‘Innuyir Kappom-Nammai Kakkum 48’. “In fact, such proactive measures have also led to the remarkable increase of 42% in the total number of organ donors in the State. Such initiatives will be amplified only when people and organisations like The Hindu and Naruvi Hospitals come together to support them,” he said.

In his special address, N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Group Publishing Pvt Ltd, said, according to the annual ratings of India Today magazine, in its State of States report, Tamil Nadu tops the list of States in the country, especially in the health sector. In that sense, the State’s Health Department is not only a role model to the rest of the country but also to the world, he added.

“Under the inspiration of Chief Minister Stalin, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam has become an internationally known health scheme as it bagged an award from the United Nations. The Health Department is also appreciated for its initiatives in non-communicable diseases,” he noted, and lauded the efforts taken by the DMK government in the health sector.

G.V. Sampath, Founder and Chairman of Naruvi Hospitals, said this important partnership with The Hindu would take the message of awareness about health and wellness to the people. “It is the right step towards making informed decisions on health for the people,” said L.V. Navaneeth, CEO of The Hindu Group, said.