Centre is stealing Kerala's health achievements: Chief Minister

MALAPPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Centre was trying to steal Kerala's achievements in the field of health by putting its own brand on it. He was speaking at a press conference of the Nava Kerala Sadas in Perinthalmanna.

"The Centre has directed that primary health centres should be renamed as 'Ayushman Arogya Mandir' by December 31. The location, building and development of these primary health centres have been made possible by the government and local bodies over time. The Centre is giving only Rs 4 lakh to the sub-centres. The health sector is fully under the control of the states. Yet, the Centre insists on changing the name of the health centres," the CM said.

"Central allocation is being withheld on the pretext of not carrying out co-branding. The Centre has not even given the funds it mentioned in the Central Plans for 2023-24. Of the 2,521.99 crore ROP grand, the state has permission to spend only Rs 1,376.70 crore this year. Funds have been disbursed under NHM Resource, Infrastructure Development and Kind Grant categories. Out of this, 826.02 crores should be allocated by the Centre in the ratio of 60:40. The state has to allocate Rs 550.68 crores. The Centre is citing Kerala's reluctance to do co-branding as a barrier to funding. That claim is also not true. The state has submitted a letter to the Union Health Ministry stating that co-branding has been completed in 99 percent of the 6825 institutions in the state," he said.