Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday launched a number of health initiatives to give a boost to the existing health care system in the state on the occasion of World Health Day.

He also announced the enhancement of daily allowances from Rs 50 to Rs 100 per day for newborns' mothers admitted to nutritional rehabilitation centres, benefitting more than 5.5 lakh women and newborns annually.

Naveen said: "I am glad to announce the launching of Nirmal - a scheme to strengthen sanitation, security and other supportive services at public health institutions, Sampurna Surakshya Kabacha - another scheme to provide mothers and newborns kits for all cases of institutional delivery, Sunetra - a programme to provide free universal eye health care to all and Sahaya - for free dialysis services."

Naveen also announced introduction of free high-end pathology tests and CT scan services under Nidan, a scheme to provide free diagnosys. "The consistent efforts of the state government to strengthen public health care facilities have been paying rich dividends. We have also made excellent achievement in controlling malaria through the state's own programme, Daman, resulting in drastic decline in the incidence of the vector-borne disease. The state has achieved zero casualty due to malaria since October 2017," he said.

Health minister Pratap Jena said: "Our aim is to make Odisha a blind-free state in the next five years. With a financial assistance of Rs 682 crore, we have initiated an universal eye health programme. With the help of modern equipment, we will provide eye treatment to all free of cost."