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No hike in drug prices due to hike in import taxes: JP Nadda

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HLL to construct new super-speciality at TD Medical College

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has ruled out the possibility of any increase in drug prices due to hike in import taxes and assured that medicines would be made available at cheaper rates. The Minister made this statement while laying the foundation stone of the Rs 150-crore super speciality block for the Government Tirumala Devaswom (TD) Medical College. HLL Infra Tech services, a subsidiary of HLL Lifecare (HLL), will construct the14,100 sq m block.

It is falsely reported that there will be hike in drug prices in India due to hike in import taxes. On the contrary, medicines are likely to become cheaper. Apart from generic drugs, medicines for cancer and cardiovascular surgical implants will also be available at 60 to 90 per cent subsidised rates,” he said.

Nadda also said that his ministry is willing to provide assistance in setting up Amruth Centres in Kerala. “But the state government should give us land for the scheme implementation,” he added.

Reportedly, the new super specialty block will have 200 in-patient beds and 50 ICU beds. It will be equipped with air-conditioned operation theatres for cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, urology, nephrology, gastroenterology, plastic surgery and endocrinology.

A project under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), the four-storeyed building with four lifts will have medical facilities like X-Ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound scan, laboratories and CSSD.

The Kerala government will contribute Rs 30 crores out of Rs 150 crores for the construction of the facility, which is expected to be completed in 18 months.

The function was presided over by Kerala Health Minister VS Sivakumar. Among those present at the function were KC Venugopal, MP; G Sudhakaran, MLA; Dr M Ayyappan, CMD, HLL; Sunil Sharma, PMSSY Joint Secretary; A Ramla Biwi, Medical Education Director; and Dr N Sreedevi, Alappuzha Medical College Principal.

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