New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS): Healthcare has become accessible and available for the entire North-East region in the last 10 years, Union Health Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the virtual inauguration of 'Regional Consultative Workshop on Research Priority for Providing Accessible and Affordable Healthcare for the Northeastern States of India', Mandaviya said that efforts have been made to bring the region into the mainstream of the country by providing all types of connectivity like health, roadways, Railways, I-Ways, waterways and ropeways etc.

"In the last 10 years, institutions like RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences), RIPANS (Regional Institute of Paramedical and Nursing Sciences), NEIGRIHMS (Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences) and Assam AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) have been developed and 23 new medical colleges have been opened in the region," he added.

The Union Health Minister also informed that over 31 crore people have been given Ayushman card for providing in-hospital treatment under which free family treatment up to Rs 5 lakh is being given annually.

About 11,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras were opened, offering 50-80 per cent cheaper drugs, while more than 1.64 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established.

He further highlighted, “More than 22 lakh kidney patients in the country have got free dialysis service, about six crore people of the country have received free treatment through PMJAY."

According to Mandaviya, out-of-pocket expenditure of the total health expenditure of the citizens has reduced from 62.6 per cent to 47.1 per cent. In addition, the minister said that the government is working on Essential Health Technology on the lines of essential medicine, in an effort to make health technologies available, accessible, affordable and equitable for all people in the coming times.