“Our aim is to strengthen the health sector in the municipality. The proposal for financial aid will be discussed at the very next council meeting. The aid will be fixed considering the expense incurred by the patient for chemotherapy. A committee will also be set up to monitor the implementation of the proposal,” Maradu municipal chairman T K Devarajan   said.

Recently, the municipality had bagged ‘Arogyakeralam’ Award for its services in the health sector. “The cash award of `3 lakh will also be invested in the health-related services of the municipality,” he said. Devarajan added that the health programmes launched by the municipality during the last financial year will be continued.

“For providing a helping hand to those suffering from various illness, we have started an exclusive palliative care unit last year. As many as 209 people benefited from the initiative,” he added.

He said the municipality is also proving help to the kidney patients with  its free dialysis unit. “Hundreds of people with diabetes and kidney ailments are being offered free treatment under the unit. By allotting more fund, the functioning of the unit will be intensified this year,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the Health Department officials in the Municipality said they were providing equipment to the physically-challenged in the municipality. “The project is being implemented using the fund of a `6 lakh. As many as 78 people benefited from the project. The assistance to these people will be continued,” they said.

They added that a floating dispensary is running successfully under the aegis of the municipality.

 “People from small islands like Cheppanam, Chattamma, Maradu south, and Kettuezhuthum kadavu are getting better health care from this dispensery,” they said.