Tamil Nadu’s NCD Drug Expenditure Triples with Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam Scheme

Tamil Nadu’s spending on drugs for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) has seen a significant surge, nearly tripling since the introduction of the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) scheme, according to Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi. Launched in August 2021, the MTM scheme has led to increased identification of hidden NCD cases. In the fiscal year 2020-21, the NCD drugs budget was ₹35 crore for both urban and rural areas, which rose to ₹52 crore the following year.

In the year 2022-23, the budget reached ₹90.10 crore. The scheme involves women health volunteers conducting household visits to screen individuals for diabetes and hypertension, ensuring early detection and treatment. As of January 18, over one crore beneficiaries have availed the services, and more than 3.7 crore continue to benefit from repeat services under MTM.

Another initiative, Innuyir Kappom-Nammai Kaakkum 48, funded by the state government, supports the treatment of individuals injured in road accidents for the first 48 hours, up to ₹1 lakh, contributing to a gradual reduction in road accident fatalities. Bedi highlighted the state’s robust healthcare infrastructure, including a total bed strength of 1.08 lakh, 20,000 doctors, and over 38,000 nurses in the government sector, emphasizing the positive impact of these healthcare initiatives.