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Women and child healthcare were among the key priorities in the announcements made by Tamil Nadu Health Minister K.G. Arunraj in the Legislative Assembly on Monday (August 17, 2026). In a first, the State government will formulate a ‘Peri-Menopausal Care Policy’ to enable early identification of the physical and mental health needs of women in the peri-menopausal age group, along with screening, counselling and treatment services.
Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure (BP) monitors will be introduced to track BP in pregnant women, with real-time transmission of data to facilitate timely intervention, while children under 18 with type 1 diabetes will receive free year-round insulin supply in government hospitals at a cost of ₹9.94 crore.
In the first phase, the BP apparatus will be provided to nearly 10,000 pregnant women in 14 districts, including Kallakurichi, Nilgiris, Tirupattur, Dharmapuri, Dindigul and Namakkal.
According to the announcement, under the peri-menopausal policy, camps would be conducted on a specific day every week at all primary health centres (PHC) and urban PHCs for symptomatic assessment, basic tests, counselling and referrals for treatment at district headquarters hospitals and government medical college hospitals.
“Irumbu Kanmani” – School Anaemia Prevention will be rolled out at a cost of ₹6.37 crore. Haemoglobin estimation will be done for nearly 16.5 lakh adolescents studying in classes VI, IX and XI in government and government-aided schools and appropriate treatment and monitoring will be done.
The department will launch rare genetic disease screening for newborns. Nearly 4.5 lakh babies delivered in all government hospitals in the State will be screened for seven rare genetic diseases in a hub-and-spoke model. This will include congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, galactosemia and biotinidase deficiency.
Neo Genesis Unit for extreme low birth weight babies will be set up at a cost of ₹16.81 crore. The intrauterine/womb-like environments will be set up at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Chennai and government medical college hospitals in Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Chengalpattu and Tiruchi.
An Autism Early Detection Programme will be launched to screen children for autism spectrum disorder. For this, 12,456 village health nurses and 5,000 doctors will be trained. A Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme will be launched in schools, while a School Orthodontic Treatment programme will be rolled out in five districts — Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi and Virudhunagar — covering 1,500 children at a cost of ₹1.80 crore.
Newborn hearing screening facilities such as Otoacoustic Emission and Sound Proof Room will be established. The monthly financial assistance for children affected by or living with HIV/AIDS will be increased and additional funds to the tune of ₹1.21 crore will be allotted.
Transport ventilators for newborns, modern equipment for human milk banks, mother and newborn care units, administration of ferric carboxy maltose injections for pregnant women with moderate anaemia and adolescent girls with severe anaemia and strengthening maternal and child care infrastructure were among other announcements.
Published – August 17, 2026 11:11 pm IST
