Thiruvananthapuram: Finance minister KN Balagopal allocated Rs 2828.33 crore for the medical sector and public health in the Kerala Budget 2023-24. This is Rs 196.5 crore more than the allocation for the sector last year.

Budget has announced cancer treatment centers in all district hospitals.

Rs 11 crore has been allotted for measures to control contagious diseases. Meanwhile, Rs 10 crore has been set aside for project 'Shaili', the sole non-communicable disease control programme in the country.

Projecting Kerala as health hub

The high medical expenditures in foreign countries could be perceived as an advantage for Kerala, the minister said. For this, he suggested establishing a ‘Care’ policy and granted a fund of Rs 30 crore for its initial operations. Kerala has the potential to emerge as the health care capital of the world by utilising its human resources and health infrastructure, said the minister. 

Oral rabies vaccine development

Rs 5 crore has been allocated to set up enterprises that can develop indigenous oral rabies vaccines. The Institute of Advanced Virology in Thiruvananthapuram and institutes under Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University will jointly take up the project to develop the vaccine.

Karunya Insurance scheme

Rs 574.5 crore has been allotted for the Karunya health insurance scheme. The minister informed that the 'Thalolam' scheme for cancer treatment of children and cochlear implantation are also being covered under the Karunya insurance scheme. 

Other key points:

  • Rs 15 crore for cancer department in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College to purchase PET/CT scanner 

  • Rs 5 crore to address post-Covid health issues

  • Rs 1.5 crore for Newborn screening project

  • Rs 30 crore for e-health programme

  • Rs 3.6 crore for IMHANS in Kozhikode

  • Rs 10 crore for reestablishing Thalassery general hospital

  • Rs 15 crore for setting up more facilities in hospitals in tribal, coastal and rural areas

  • Rs 75 crore for operational expenses of 315 advanced life support ambulances under ‘Kanavu’ project

  • Minister assured interventions to improve facilities in Kasaragod TATA hospital

  • Rs 49.05 crore set aside for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Naturopathy

  • Rs 25.15 crore for homeopathy department

  • Rs 20.15 crore for Thrippunithura, Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur Ayurveda colleges

  • Rs 5 crore as state’s share for National Mission on Ayush Homeo

  • Rs 8.90 crore for homeo medical studies