Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda Reviews Health Services in Madhya Pradesh, Praises PPP Model

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J.P. Nadda, met with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mohan Yadav, to review the progress made in the state's health sector. The meeting involved detailed discussions on healthcare infrastructure, medical education, specialist services, and major public health initiatives.

Shri Nadda praised the state government's efforts to adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to expand medical education and increase access to quality healthcare services. He noted that under this innovative model, medical colleges are being established in Dhar, Panna, Katni, and Betul, with a target completion date of December 2027.

Madhya Pradesh has made significant progress in the field of medical education. The number of MBBS seats has been increased from 5,600 to 6,120 by the year 2026, representing an increase of 520 seats in a single year. Additionally, super-specialty education has been expanded, with seats in government medical colleges rising from 63 to 73, and in private colleges from 29 to 53.

The meeting also reviewed improvements in maternal and child health indicators. According to SRS 2022-24 data, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the state has decreased by 7 points, falling to 135 per lakh live births. According to NFHS-6, the proportion of pregnant women receiving four or more antenatal check-ups has increased from 57.5% to 69.5%. Improvements in infant health were also observed, with the neonatal mortality rate decreasing from 27 to 26 and the infant mortality rate dropping from 37 to 35 per 1,000 live births.

As part of the expansion of specialist services, 70 hemodialysis units and 52 cancer day-care centers are operational across 52 districts of the state. Advanced cancer treatment facilities, such as CAR-T cell therapy, have also been introduced at the Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore.

Regarding infrastructure development, the construction of medical college buildings in Chhatarpur, Damoh, and Budhni has been completed. Construction in Ujjain is expected to be finished by 2027, while medical colleges are proposed for Rajgarh and Mandla under the central government's Phase-III plan.

The Union Health Minister emphasized the need for continuous cooperation between the central and state governments to make healthcare services affordable and accessible. The meeting was attended by Union Health Secretary Mrs. Punyap Salila Srivastava, Principal Secretary of the Department of Public Health and Medical Education Mr. Sukhveer Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Neeraj Mandloi, and National Health Authority (NHA) CEO Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal.