The State government will launch ‘ KCR Nutrition Kits’ for pregnant women on the lines of ‘KCR kits’ for lactating mothers as gift to coincide with Batukamma festival next month in nine select districts.
The districts are : Adilabad, Kothagudem, Bhupalpally, Gadwal, Kamareddy, Asifabad, Mulug, Nagarkurnool, and Vikarabad. They were selected by a team of women officers belonging to all-India service that studied anaemia problem among pregnant women. It was found that the children born in poor families here had a stunted growth. Therefore, the team recommended supply of kits that contained products rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins to enhance haemoglobin percentage of women, said Health Minister T. Harish Rao.
He told a media conference here that each kit will cost about ₹ 2,000. The kits will be supplied in third and sixth months of pregnancy when women visit government hospitals for ante-natal check ups. They will be supplied in easy to carry plastic bags. Tenders were already invited to supply the kits.
The Minister earlier inaugurated the Project Management Unit at Telangana State Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation. The unit will facilitate implementation of the new equipment management policy of the government which aimed to enter into annual maintenance contract with private companies for repair of equipment in government hospitals.
Hereafter, all major repairs to over 1,000 medical equipment costing ₹ 5 lakh or more will be undertaken by the contracted firms.
Mr. Rao also said the Essential Medical List and Additional Medical List of drugs available in government hospitals have been expanded to include 123 more drugs. The hospitals presently had 720 drugs on its musters but will be increased to 843 like in Tamil Nadu. l
The e-Aushadi portal of the government will ensure that there was stock of drugs for three months. If there was shortage of drugs in any hospital, a red light will pop up immediately against the hospital on the portal. A cash balance was also kept with the hospital Superintendents to purchase drugs in retail market in emergencies.
Regarding the cancellation of recognition of three medical colleges in the State by the National Medical Commission, he said the Centre had on Friday permitted the redeployment of students of one of the colleges. They will be distributed equally in all other existing private medical colleges.
