Super Specialty Hospital, Jaipur Foot Camp, Jan Aushadhi And Yoga Centres: PM Modi Announces Measures To Bolster Healthcare In Pacific Island Countries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (22 May) announced a host of measures to boost healthcare in the pacific region.

During his visit to Papua New Guinea to attend third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), PM Modi announced that a super-specialty cardiology hospital will be established in Fiji, which will be equipped with trained staff, modern facilities, and infrastructure, and it will serve as a lifeline for the entire region.

The Indian government will bear the full cost of this mega greenfield project, PM Modi announced in his closing statement at the FIPIC III Summit.

Further, India will assist in setting up dialysis units in all the 14 Pacific island countries. PM Modi also announced that sea ambulances will be provided to all the 14 Pacific island countries.

PM Modi said that earlier in 2022, a Jaipur Foot Camp was conducted in Fiji, in which prosthetic limbs were provided free of cost to more than 600 people.

"For the PIC region, we have decided to organise a Jaipur Foot camp in Papua New Guinea (PNG) this year. Starting from 2024, two such camps will be organized every year in the Pacific island countries," PM Modi said.

Further, PM Modi proposed that Jan Aushadhi Centres like stores will be opened in all the Pacific Island countries, which will provide high-quality generic medicines to people of these nations at affordable prices.

He also proposed setting up Yoga Centres in the Pacific island countries.

"Scientific studies have shown that yoga can be highly effective in preventing lifestyle diseases like diabetes. We propose establishing yoga centres in your countries to promote its benefits," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also announced that water desalination units will be provided to the people of every Pacific island country to address the water scarcity issue in the region.