Tamil Nadu unveils peri-menopausal policy, expands maternal and child health schemes
Tamil Nadu announces a first-of-its-kind peri-menopausal care policy, along with new maternal, newborn, and adolescent health initiatives.
The Tamil Nadu government will formulate a dedicated 'Peri-Menopausal Care Policy', a first for the state, to address the health needs of women in this age group. The announcement was made by Health Minister K.G. Arunraj in the Legislative Assembly on Monday (August 17, 2026). The policy will focus on early identification of physical and mental health concerns through screening, counselling, and treatment services.
Under the policy, all primary health centres (PHCs) and urban PHCs will conduct dedicated camps one day each week. These camps will offer symptomatic assessment, basic diagnostic tests, and counselling, with referrals to district headquarters hospitals and government medical college hospitals for advanced treatment.
In a move to improve maternal care, the government will introduce Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure monitors for pregnant women. The devices will transmit data in real-time, allowing for timely medical intervention. In the first phase, nearly 10,000 pregnant women across 14 districts, including Kallakurichi, Nilgiris, Tirupattur, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, and Namakkal, will receive the monitors.
Several new programmes for children and adolescents were also announced. The 'Irumbu Kanmani' School Anaemia Prevention scheme will screen an estimated 16.5 lakh students in classes VI, IX, and XI across government and aided schools for haemoglobin levels, with a budget of ₹6.37 crore. Children under 18 with type 1 diabetes will receive free insulin throughout the year in government hospitals, at a cost of ₹9.94 crore.
A new screening initiative will test nearly 4.5 lakh newborns in government hospitals for seven rare genetic diseases, including congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, galactosemia, and biotinidase deficiency, using a hub-and-spoke model. To care for the most vulnerable, 'Neo Genesis Units' will be established at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Chennai and medical colleges in Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Chengalpattu, and Tiruchi, at a cost of ₹16.81 crore.
The state will also launch an Autism Early Detection Programme, training 12,456 village health nurses and 5,000 doctors. Other initiatives include a Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme in schools, a School Orthodontic Treatment programme for 1,500 children in five districts at a cost of ₹1.80 crore, and new newborn hearing screening facilities. Financial aid for children affected by HIV/AIDS will be increased with an additional ₹1.21 crore. The announcements also covered transport ventilators for newborns, equipment for human milk banks, and strengthened maternal and child care infrastructure.