Raj govt to train dhabha staff to provide aid in accidents

Rajasthan government will train the staff of roadside dhabas and make available medicines for first aid on national and state highways so that those injured in accidents can be given timely first aid treatment.
Medical and Health Minister of Rajasthan Rajendra Rathore said that identification of spots where most mishaps occur on highways will be done and roadside dhaba staff will be given training for first aid so that they can help in saving lives.
He said initially one national and one state highway will be selected for this cause.
Replying to the debate on demands for grants for medical and health department in the state assembly, Rathore also raised concerns over growing of vegetables in dirty and polluted water and on misleading advertisements for Ayurvedic medicines for raising height and treatment of other medical conditions.

He informed the house that a special campaign will be run against the farming of vegetables using polluted water for two months.
To check misleading advertisements, he said Ayurveda officers will be authorised to take action under the seldom usedDrug and Magic Remedy Act 1954.

The minister in his reply also expressed concern over increasing number of patients with lifestyle diseases and increasing pollution, and also laid stress on collectively meeting this challenge.
Rejecting allegations of opposition members that the BJP government has weakened the free medicines scheme initiated by the former Congress government, the minister said the present government has increased the budget for the scheme and has brought qualitative changes in public interest.

Rathore informed the House that BJP government in the last two years has increased the budget outlay for the medical and health services and most of the budget was utilized.
He said the government will also undertake a special campaign to identify persons with mental disabilities who are chained in houses and added that arrangement for their free treatment will be made by the government.
He said child sex ratio has increased to 929 which was from 888 recorded in the 2011 census.
The minister also made announcements about recruitment of doctors, setting up of state excellence center for mental health for which the Centre has given its nod in principle, strengthening of laboratories in 17 districts, medical check up of students of madarasas, dial-in ambulance service, commencement of admission in seven new medical colleges from 2017-18 among others.

After the reply, the demands for grants were passed by the House.