The Government of Tamil Nadu is formulating a Perimenopause Care Policy

Representative image | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Health care for women and children was among the key priorities in Tamil Nadu Health Minister KG Arunraj’s remarks in the Legislative Assembly on Monday (17 Aug 2026). In the first phase, the state government will formulate a “Menopausal Care Policy” that will enable early identification of physical and mental health needs of women in the perimenopausal age group, along with screening, counseling and treatment services.

Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure (BP) monitors will be introduced to monitor blood pressure in pregnant women with real-time data transmission to facilitate early intervention, while children below 18 years of age with type 1 diabetes will be given free year-long supply of insulin at government hospitals at a cost of ₹9.94 crore.

In the first phase, the BP machine will be provided to nearly 10,000 pregnant women in 14 districts including Kallakurichi, Nilgiris, Tirupattur, Dharmapuri, Dindigul and Namakkal.

As per the notification, as part of the menopause policy, camps will be held every week on a specific day at all Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and City Primary Health Centers for symptom assessment, basic tests, counseling and referral for treatment at District Headquarters Hospitals and State Medical College Hospitals.

‘Irumbu Kanmani’ – Prevention of school anemia will be launched at a cost of ₹ 6.37 crore. Hemoglobin estimation will be done in nearly 16.5 million adolescent students studying in classes VI, IX and XI in government and government aided schools and appropriate treatment and monitoring will be done.

The department will begin screening newborns for rare genetic diseases. Nearly 4.5 million babies born in all government hospitals in the state will be screened for seven rare genetic diseases in a hub-and-spoke model. This will include congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, galactosemia and biotinidase deficiency.

The Neo Genesis unit for extremely low birth weight babies will be set up at a cost of ₹ 16.81 crore. Intrauterine/womb-like environments will be created at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chennai and Government Medical College Hospitals at Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Chengalpattu and Tiruchi.

The Early Autism Detection Program will be launched, which will screen children for autism spectrum disorder. For this, 12,456 village nurses and 5,000 doctors will be trained. A childhood obesity prevention program will be launched in schools and a school-based orthodontic treatment program will be launched in five districts – Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi and Virudhunagar – covering 1,500 children at a cost of ₹1.80 crore.

Newborn hearing screening facilities such as otoacoustic emission and soundproof room will be established. The monthly financial assistance for children affected or living with HIV/AIDS will be increased and additional funds of ₹1.21 crore will be allocated.

Other announcements included transport ventilators for newborns, modern equipment for breast milk banks, maternal and newborn care units, administration of ferric carboxymaltose injections to pregnant women with moderate anemia and adolescent girls with severe anemia, and strengthening of maternal and child care infrastructure.

Published – 17 Aug 2026 23:11 IST