‘4,101 children got cochlear implants under CMCHIS’
The Hindu
₹327 crore spent towards this so far, says Stalin
As many as 4,101 children have undergone cochlear implant surgeries under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). So far, funds to the tune of ₹327 crore have been spent towards this, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Friday.
Noting that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had launched the health insurance scheme in 2009, he said ₹6.36 lakh was allocated towards surgery per child, while higher treatment was provided for those on whom surgeries could not be performed. For this, ₹4 crore was allocated, he said at an event to mark the International Week of the Deaf at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).
He added that ₹3.62 crore was spent towards replacing defective equipment. Under CMCHIS, 1,35,572 people have received new hearing aids at a cost of ₹108 crore. “To continue the schemes and purchase advanced equipment for all government hospitals, ₹10 crore has been allocated this year,” he said. Mr. Stalin handed over ENT equipment worth ₹98.8 lakh to RGGGH and government medical colleges in Tiruchi and Krishnagiri. He handed over hearing aids to the elderly, and activated the cochlear implants received by children, a release said.
Works are under way to establish smart classrooms equipped with broadband connectivity in as many as 20,000 panchayat union primary schools and to establish hi-tech laboratories with similar Internet connectivity in 6,992 panchayat union primary schools across Tamil Nadu, the Director of Elementary Education (DEE) has informed the Madras High Court.