Healthcare shortcomings exist in some districts, says Health Minister Arunraj

CHENNAI: Admitting that disparities persist in the State's public healthcare network, Minister for Health and Family Welfare KG Arunraj on Tuesday said the Tamil Nadu government is working to eliminate shortcomings in government hospitals across several districts and bring them on par with private healthcare institutions.

Talking to reporters after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the 'Nalam TN' portal here, Arunraj said that while Tamil Nadu remains one of the country's leading healthcare performers, the government recognises that deficiencies in infrastructure and facilities still persist in certain districts.

"Though Tamil Nadu is a leading State in healthcare, shortcomings continue to exist in some districts. We are fully committed to addressing every one of them. Our objective is to ensure that government hospitals offer standards comparable to private hospitals, and people will soon witness that transformation," Arunraj said.

The minister said the newly launched 'Nalam TN' portal would allow corporates as well as individuals to directly contribute towards strengthening the State's healthcare infrastructure. Donors can either fund a specific government hospital or infrastructure project of their choice or make general contributions to the Health Department, he said.

Assuring complete transparency, Arunraj said every rupee received through the portal would be spent with full public accountability. "Many people make charitable donations during birthdays and family celebrations. They can now dedicate a part of those contributions to improving Tamil Nadu's public healthcare system," he said.