Surat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Kiran Multi Super Specialty Hospital & Research Centre built a cost of Rs.500-crore at Surat, with the co-operation of 400 donors.

Speaking on the occasion, he complimented the donors for making this project a reality. It is not just an issue of donating Rs.500-crore or Rs.5,000-crore but the donors’ efforts and feelings, most of them being sons-of-the-soil who grew up from a modest background. He wished the hospital proved a great relief for the people of south Gujarat region and particularly for the less privileged.

In the wake of doctors’ consultancy, hospitals and medicine becoming costlier going beyond the reach of common man, he said the Central Government has announced the new health policy ensuring fast and affordable treatment, asking pharmaceutical companies to provide medicine at fixed cost, reducing the stent implant cost for heart patient from Rs.40,000-150,000 to Rs.20,000. He wished that nobody should go to hospital but in case they have to be nevertheless admitted should walk back to home hale and hearty

He said the Jan Aushadhi Yojna proposed to sell medicines to the less privileged from generic stores but compulsorily on prescriptions. The Indra Dhanush Yojna is a mass campaign for vaccination for those left out. He asked the people of the Surat to celebrate the Yoga Day on June 21, which is linked to health, on a grand scale.

Mr. Modi recalled that when he was performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the same hospital he had commented that he would like to inaugurate the same hospital. The statement was not borne out of his arrogance but his commitment for a noble cause.

He repeatedly mentioned he is grateful to the public for doing something for the latter. Referring to Surat’s singular contribution to the diamond, gems and jewelry, he said that when he would go to Israel in July he would represent their case for strengthening the relation between the two entities. He also went round the different wards in the hospital, posed for a group photo with doctors, trustees and donors.

The Prime Minister was earlier greeted by the people all along the road from the Circuit House to the hospital.

Gujarat’s Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced Rs.40-crore subsidy to the hospital as his government’s contribution for equipment. He also announced a 20 per cent ‘blanket subsidy’ to medical colleges being opened in tribal areas and to super specialty hospitals in rural areas in the private sector. He listed the slew of steps like Ma Vatsalya and Ma Amritam Yojna in the state to provide fast, affordable medical and surgical facility to the poor in serious diseased.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that Gujarat’s EMRI 108 has become a role model in the country for the poor and middle class. The government has recently permitted 3,500 seats in medical colleges in remote areas and extended other facilities being.

The Kiran Hospital’s Trustee Mayurbhai Savani in his welcome address said the entire premises have been made free from bacteria at a cost of Rs.31-crore. He hailed Prime Minister’s other innovative schemes like sprinkler and drip irrigation.

As a gesture towards Prime Minister inaugurating this modern hospital, he said, the hospital would not charge delivery fee on the birth of the first girl child and give a bond of Rs.1-lakh to the second girl child on attaining the age of 21 years.

Those present on the occasion included Minister of State for Health Shankar Chaudhry, former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, BJP Gujarat President Jitubhai Vaghani, MP C.R. Patil and Darshana Jardosh, Parliamentary Secretary Purneshbhai Modi, MLAs, office-bearers, hospital trustees, donors and citizens.

– Information