The Health Department has so far identified 800 quacks who have been treating people without a proper qualification, State Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar said on Friday.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of LAPAROFIT, organised by Gem Hospital here, he said the crackdown would continue all over the State.

Vijayabhaskar said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has allocated Rs.280 crore for purchase of equipment for modernising Coimbatore Medical College Hospital,

“The World Bank has sanctioned Rs.2,600 crore for Tamil Nadu Health System Project which will be utilised to improve maternal and child health care and improving access and utilisation of health services to poor people and in tribal areas.”

Stating that Dengue has been brought under control, the Minister said that 837 cell counters have been opened across the State at a cost of Rs.23.50 lakh to identify the red and white plasma in a few seconds.

“Tamil Nadu stands first in organ donation and infant mortality is minimal here compared to other States,” Vijayabhaskar said.

Earlier addressing LAPAROFIT, the Minister said that Tamil Nadu was the only State in India to have included bariatric surgery under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance scheme as a life saving procedure. “This has benefitted the lower sections of the society immensely as they can benefit from getting high end procedures even in corporate hospitals which was otherwise not possible earlier,” he said.