Big job at hand for PMK’s chinna Dr

It’S been quite a test of survival for the health ministry. The PMK managed to stick to its demand for health for Anbumani Ramadoss despite the pull from Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janashakti Party.

Anbumani, son of PMK chief Dr S. Ramadoss, is a practising doctor and referred to in the party as Chinna Dr Ayya (junior doctor). While his profession might be a definite advantage, it remains to be seen how many of the decisions taken by his predecessor, Sushma Swaraj, will stand. The fact that the Congress party is bitter about Swaraj’s melodramatic opposition to Sonia Gandhi could, in fact, prove to be the biggest hurdle.

Major decisions hang fire, such as construction of six AIIMS-like hospitals across the country. ‘‘This is huge infrastructure, which has huge financial implication. As much as Rs 4,000 crore was sanctioned till the 11th plan. This project was Sushma Swaraj’s brainchild,’’ said an official.

‘‘The pilot project on retrovirals is on in about eight centres and about 300 people have been registered. By the year-end, about 1 lakh people have been promised free medicines,’’ he said. The ministry has a total budget of Rs 250 crore for for AIDS/HIV.