Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian has said the State government has sought the approval of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to add 800 more MBBS seats this year. Speaking to reporters on Saturday after inspecting the construction work on the new Government Medical College in the district, the Minister said the MCI had already granted permission to admit 850 students in the MBBS course in seven new medical colleges in the State.

"We have sought permission to add 800 more seats this year. Of the 800 seats, 600 are being sought for four new medical colleges in Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Dindigul and Krishnagiri. We have requested to increase the intake at Ramanathapuram, Namakkal, Tiruppur and Thiruvallur by 50 seats each taking the total to 200 seats. We will be meeting the Union Health Minister and others on October 27 in this regard," he said.

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Stating that the 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' scheme (healthcare at the doorstep of people) has benefited 25 lakh people, he said, "We are targeting to offer treatment to one crore people under the scheme this year." The Minister said the government has taken steps to renovate buildings of primary health centres. Earlier, he held a meeting with Collector Dr Arun Thamburaj on the COVID-19 situation in the district.

Tamil Nadu is currently embroiled in a tussle with the centre over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical education. The Justice AK Rajan Committee which examined the impact of NEET, said in its report that those who are able to clear NEET will not stay back and serve the people at Public Health Centres, and will instead head abroad for greener pastures. It remains to be seen how NEET will impact this particular move of the TN government to bolster the public healthcare ecosystem in the state.

Edited by Juveria Tabassum
With inputs from PTI