The Master Health Check Up has taken a leaf from Jayalalithaa's Amma Canteens that sell idly for one rupee.
Sathya, 59, gasps for breath outside the government Medical College Hospital in Chennai. He suffers from heart and liver problems but the family did not know about this until his condition became very serious. They could not afford the check-ups that could cost up to Rs 12,000 at private hospitals.
His family welcomes Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's new scheme that could help in early detection of illnesses. Soon Amma Master health check-ups would be available at government hospitals for less than a thousand rupees.
The package would include blood, sugar, heart, kidney and liver tests. For women even cervical and breast cancer tests will be covered. Many important tests and check-ups at primary health centres would be free.
Sathya's sister-in-law R Rama says, "It's nice. It would be beneficial. But Amma should make sure it works well. Often they don't treat well in government hospitals."
The Rajaram family who are visiting an ailing relative at the same hospital added, "It would be a preventive step, good. We don't have to wait till the end."
The Master Health Check Up has taken a leaf from Jayalalithaa's Amma Canteens that sell idly for one rupee. The scheme struck a chord with the masses and helped her win a sweeping majority in the Lok Sabha polls last year. Soon Amma pharmacies, Amma cement and Amma water followed suit, selling essential items at a cheaper price.
This latest announcement comes at a time when the opposition is demanding prohibition, citing alcoholism, worsened by government run liquor shops which fetch a whopping Rs 27,000 crore-revenue to the government.
Though Tamil Nadu's healthcare is considered much ahead of several states, some are not sure if the infrastructure in government medical college hospitals would be adequate enough for quality master health checks at a massive scale.
Jayalalithaa, political analysts say, would be hoping that the scheme would turn into a masterstroke, to win a second consecutive term in elections next year.