NEW DELHI, Oct 16:
Noting that about four crore people plunge into poverty each year due to medical expenses, President Pranab Mukherjee today stressed the need for crafting a high quality national healthcare system for the poor and rich alike.
Voicing concern over the impoverishing impact of health and medical expenses on the vulnerable sections of the society, he said it was unacceptable that almost 80 per cent of the expenditure on healthcare by people was met by personal, out of pocket, payment.
“I am shocked to note that as many as 4 crore people of our country plunge into poverty each year due to expenses on medical treatment.
“Yet, we should remember that the health services for the poor cannot be poor health services. We need to craft a high quality national health system that is used by the poor and the rich alike,” Mukherjee said addressing 40th convocation function of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
Suggesting out of the box managerial and administrative reforms at the state and central levels, he said public health system must be greatly expanded and strengthened across the nation.
“We need many more nurses, doctors, paramedics and health workers. We need to decentralise planning and implementation of healthcare to the district and sub-district levels.
“We need to take health services closer to the homes of the families—even a primary health centre is too far by today’s standard and need,” Mukherjee said.
Asserting that health is among the topmost priorities of the government, he said the nation’s productivity depends on the health and well-being of its citizens. “Economic growth that does not go hand-in-hand with reduction in avoidable mortality and ill health is neither sustainable nor desirable,” the President said.
Mukherjee said the new challenges of the country’s health sectors were opportunities for the Institute to contribute towards nation building.
“Excellence should not be confined to Delhi but must touch the hearts of the millions all over the country who are still struggling for equitable access to quality health care,” the President said, adding that research work at AIIMS must not only be acclaimed by the academia, but must benefit the public at large.
Mukherjee asked the faculty and the students to work in unison to ensure that AIIMS emerged among ten best medical universities in the world.
“No other institute is so intensely watched by the government, Parliament, the media and by the public at large as AIIMS as they all see AIIMS as a symbol of excellence in medical sciences.
“The country expects the institute, its faculty and students to live up to this illustrious image. AIIMS must rise to be one of the 10 best medical universities in the world by the year 2020. The target is ambitious but not insurmountable. I charge you—the faculty, the scientists, the scholars, the students and the staff, to focus on this singular goal,” he said.
As many as 465 degrees were awarded in different disciplines and branches of medicine and allied health sciences during the ceremony. The President gave away Institute medals and prizes under different categories.
At present, AIIMS has a total bed strength of 2,424, including day care beds in dentistry. During the preceding year, the Institute attended to 25,78,396 patients in OPD and casualty, admitted 1,72,036 patients and performed 1,37,019 surgical procedures, Director, AIIMS, Prof R C Deka said.
“It is true that our quality care to people has attracted a large patient load which has forced us to compromise on some of our priorities, affecting the academic and research activities of the Institute,” Deka said.
“This is indeed a big challenge for all of us. We have to protect its academic character to maintain its stated objective. The government and Parliament have to consider this issue carefully and give necessary direction,” he said.
Deka highlighted “huge shortage” of skilled health care workers at the technical and paramedical levels and hoped that collaborative efforts by institutions including National Skill Development Council would be made to face this challenge. (PTI)
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