“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.