The Union Government is finalising a number of health schemes including those in the areas of public health and telemedicine, spending over Rs 700 crore during the next financial year.

The Government is also considering the idea of forming an advisory board for standards with regard to paramedical institutions. The creation of new pharmacy schools, up gradation of the existing ones and strengthening of infrastructure for them would also be done with this fund, earmarked for other programmes with the Health Ministry.

New initiatives like telemedicine, national programme for prevention and control of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, besides national programme for deafness were already launched this year and the same would be pushed forward further during the next year, sources said.

A total of Rs 713.43 crore will be set apart for the schemes whereas just Rs 64.13 crore was spent for the purpose during the current year so far. Tobacco control programme, which got just Rs 5 crore this year, will be bolstered with intensive programmes by spending Rs 32 crore. The telemedicine programme will be widened with Rs 15 crore next year.

The new schemes under the consideration of the Health Ministry for the next year includes letospirosis control programme, pilot project on prevention and control of human rabies, national organ transplant programme, oral health, national programme for the care of the elderly and their rehabilitation.

Besides, national programme for sports injury is another new scheme which is on the anvil. The government is also thinking of setting up a national centre for disease control.

Besides, the government will ensure financial support to institutes engaged in health care such as Central Health Education Bureau, Institute of Human behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi , Tobacco Free Initiative under Cancer Research. Grants would be given to New Delhi TB Centre, Indian Red Cross Society and St. John Ambulance.

There is also a proposal to strengthen the health information and monitoring system with the help of latest advancements in the information technology.