The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has stressed the need to provide affordable medical facilities to people living in rural areas. He also asked medical colleges to encourage students to visit rural areas and understand the healthcare requirements of poor and downtrodden.
Addressing the Diamond Jubilee of Rangaraya Medical College and Golden Jubilee of its Old Students Association, in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh today, Shri Naidu advocated that a doctor in the government service must mandatorily serve in rural areas before getting his/her first promotion.
The Vice President said that the Governments draw up policies and programs to improve healthcare. But it is the doctors at the grass-root level who play a key role in making them successful, he added.
The Vice President asked the young doctors to be sensitive to patients and their family. He said an important complement such as bonding and personal touch was missing in today’s treatment due to work pressure, increased reliance on investigations and commercialization of the profession. He advised doctors to spend more time and establish personal bond with the patient and his/her relatives and said that doctor’s gentle touch and kind words could soothe the frayed nerves of a nervous patient and produce a calming effect.
The Vice President called up on the private sector to work with a spirit of altruism, commitment and missionary zeal in providing modern and affordable healthcare facilities in the rural areas. United efforts of government, private sector would take quality healthcare to remote and help us bridge the urban-rural divide, he added.
Saying that India had made significant improvements in providing basic and advanced health care since independence, Shri Naidu opined that much needed to be done to improve life expectancy, reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and improve quality of life.
Expressing concern over the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases, he said that India was witnessing a double burden of diseases-infectious ailments as well as an increased incidence in life style diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and cancers. It is estimated that 62 per cent deaths among men and 52 per cent among women are due to non-communicable diseases.
Shri Naidu said that the flagship initiative of ‘Ayushman Bharat’ that provides insurance coverage and comprehensive, need-based healthcare through 1,50,000 health and wellness centres to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families would address problems faced by people like huge out-of-pocket expenditure and accessing modern healthcare facilities.
The Vice President also called up on various medical associations to take up a campaign to educate people on the measures to be adopted for preventing lifestyle diseases. Quoting a paper published in ‘The Lancet Global Health’, he said that cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and diabetes kill around 4 million Indians annually (as in 2016), and most of these deaths were premature, occurring among Indians aged 30–70 years.
Shri Naidu had advised people to shun sedentary life style and called for a concerted action from government, doctors, public health experts, policymakers and healthcare planners to reverse the trend and prevent the growing incidence of lifestyle diseases.
Shri Naidu asked Medical Associations, Hospitals and authorities to see that the doctor patient ratio is maintained. He also stressed up on the need to employ skilled medical specialists and affordable treatment facilities as compared to many developed countries in Indian hospitals keeping in medical tourism in mind.
The Vice President urged Medical Council and affiliated organizations to bring in high standards in medical education across the country and increase medical and laboratory infrastructure at institutions.
The Deputy Chief Minister and the Minister for Home & Disaster Management, Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chinarajappa, the Member of Parliament, Dr. K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, the Member of Legislative Assembly, Dr. Kamineni Srinivas, the Vice President & President (Elect), AAPI, Dr. Jonnalagadda Sudhakar, the President, RAMCOSA, Dr. G. Seshagiri Rao, the Organising Chairman, Dr. Ganni Bhaskar Rao, the Secretary, RAMCOSA, Dr. M.V.V. Anand, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. NTR University of Health, Andhra Pradesh, Dr. C.V. Rao, the President, RMCANA, Dr. Venkata Subbaraya Chowdary, the Principal, Rangaraya Medical College, Dr. R. Mahalakshmi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Following is the text of Vice President's address:
"I am delighted to be here in this institution of learning on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Rangaraya Medical College and Golden Jubilee of its Old Students Association.
This college was a result of dedicated efforts by eminent and noble men like Dr. M.V. Krishna Rao garu, Col. Dr. D.S. Raju garu, and the Maharajah of Pithapuram. Medicine is a noble profession and I can see nobility pervading here. There are doctors from far and wide who are saving lives and imparting medical knowledge to the future generations of doctors. There are also doctors here who went beyond their call of duty and are striving hard to serve and uplift their parental institution and also the society at large.
It means:
May all be prosperous and happy
May all be free from illness
May all see what is spiritually uplifting
May no one suffer
Om! Peace peace peace!
I am happy to note that notable academician and former President of India Sri Sarvepalli Radhakrishna laid the foundation to one of the buildings, and world renowned scientist Dr. J.B.S. Haldane donated his body to the Pathology department of this college for scientific research. It speaks volumes of the strong academic roots of this college and the institution’s commitment towards the noble cause of imparting medical knowledge and serving the society. It is truly laudable.
I am also happy to note that the college in its quest for expanding medical education has been scaling new heights as seen in the doubling of number of admissions in undergraduate courses and in starting post graduate diploma, degree, and super specialty courses.
I am aware that students of this college made their mark in fields other than medicine also like politics, education, business, and civil services, which is noteworthy. It is said that a healthy mind flourishes in a healthy body. I am informed that students of this college regularly participate and win medals and overall championships in games and sports at inter-collegiate and inter-university levels. That is very much needed - to keep the body active with games, exercise, and yoga, as, the practice of medicine can sometimes be very tiresome and stressful.
I am happy to see that the Old Students Association has organized this function to bring together students old and new at one place, the place of their birth as medical professionals and to build bridges between different generations and coordinate their action towards uplifting the standards of medical care, medical education and ultimately the patient care.
I also see it as an initiative to preserve the values of equality, mutual respect, social integration, social responsibility, and the feeling of oneness among all, as enunciated in our ancient texts – Vasudaika Kutumbakam, the whole world is one family. If everybody imbibes this noble thought into our thoughts and actions, the world will be a better place to live in.
I can see that the NRI alumni of this college are constantly lending their might to create more facilities in the college, hospital, and the hostels, in addition to conducting academic programs from time-to-time for the benefit of the students and faculty.
India has crossed many milestones since Independence in the quest towards making our country self-reliant in different areas from science and technology to health and food security. Today, we can be proud of our achievements in space technology, atomic science, Information technology and advanced medical care, among others. However, there is no room for complacency and we cannot sit on our laurels. We need to constantly endeavour to excel and be the best in every field.
Dear sisters and brothers, there is still much more to be done and we must strive hard to achieve our goals like providing clean and sustainable environment, access to potable drinking water, quality education and health for all.
Undoubtedly, we came a long way in providing basic and advanced health care. We are able to improve life expectancy, reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and improve quality of life in general.
Although our health care system consisting of Primary Health Centers, Taluk hospitals, and District hospitals is catering to the health requirements of the rural people, the need of the hour is to provide state-of-the-art healthcare facilities in the rural and remote areas as most of the modern hospitals are located in urban areas. Our efforts are also being hampered by factors such as the rapidly growing population, vast country with diverse terrain, local prejudices, superstitions and illiteracy.
While successive governments at the national and state levels have been according highest priority to the health sector, the private sector needs to supplement the efforts of the government, especially in bridging the urban-rural divide. The private sector should work with a spirit of altruism, commitment and missionary zeal in providing modern and affordable healthcare facilities in the rural areas.
As regards the manpower shortage of medical professionals, I have also been advocating that a doctor in the government service should mandatorily serve in rural areas before getting his/her first promotion.
Governments draw up policies and programs to improve healthcare. But it is you-- doctors at the grass-root level who play a key role in making them successful. When I say doctors, I mean doctors in the government as well as private sector. For, the reach of the government in advanced medical care beyond taluk level is limited.
Friends, undoubtedly, we have made significant progress in controlling preventable illnesses through vaccinations and hygienic healthcare practices. At the same time, the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases is a major concern. We are seeing a double burden of diseases—infectious ailments as well as an increased incidence in life style diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and cancers. It is estimated that 62 per cent deaths among men and 52 per cent among women are due to non-communicable diseases.
I am sure, the flagship initiative of ‘Ayushman Bharat’ to provide insurance coverage and comprehensive, need-based healthcare through 1,50,000 health and wellness centres to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families would address problems faced by people like huge out-of-pocket expenditure and accessing modern healthcare facilities.
I would like various medical associations to take up a campaign to educate people on the measures to be adopted for preventing lifestyle diseases. Leading a healthy and active life is important by avoiding sedentary lifestyle and adopting healthy dietary habits. According to a paper published in ‘The Lancet Global Health’, the three leading causes of mortality—cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and diabetes—together accounted for a substantial proportion of total deaths in India in 2016 with considerable cross-state variation. In absolute terms, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and diabetes kill around 4 million Indians annually (as in 2016), and most of these deaths are premature, occurring among Indians aged 30–70 years. Furthermore, they represent some of the world's largest health losses, with enormous policy ramifications, it noted.
Experts have been pointing out that the onset of these diseases is typically a decade earlier in India as compared to developed countries. This is a matter of concern and calls for a concerted action from all the stakeholders—government, doctors, public health experts, policymakers and healthcare planners to reverse the trend and prevent the growing incidence of lifestyle diseases.
The initiative of the Medical Council of India to teach Preventive Medicine from the first year of the MBBS course is a step in the right direction.
Another challenge we are facing is the doctor patient ratio. Although, the doctor patient ratio is less than 1:1000 norm prescribed by the WHO, there has been a lot of improvement in this aspect mainly due to the private medical institutions. While, the problem of quantity is being addressed, there also has to be improvement in the quality of medical education.
I am sure, various initiatives of the National Medical Council will bring uniformity in providing high standards in medical education across the country.
Dear sisters and brothers,
India is also emerging as a hub for medical tourism due to the availability of skilled medical specialists and affordable treatment facilities as compared to many developed countries.
Of late, we are also witnessing frequent incidents of violence against doctors. This is a disturbing trend and the most stringent action needs to be taken against those who take law into their hands. At the same time, the medical associations need to educate the public on health issues as an informed patient will be cooperative and understanding.
An important aspect that is missing these days is the personal touch and bonding that a doctor needs to establish with his patient. I feel that doctors on their part should spend more time at the bedside and establish personal bond with the patient and his/her relatives. This seems to have taken a back seat due to work pressure, increased reliance on investigations and commercialization of the profession.
The personal bonding is important as a doctor’s gentle touch and kind words can soothe the frayed nerves of a nervous patient and produce a calming effect. I do hope that the IMA and the associations of the various specialties will look into this and take appropriate action.
In this context, I would like to recall that recently I had released a booklet on Basic Cardiac Life Support published by the Indian Resuscitation Council (IRC) and tried my hand at practicing the Compression Only Life Support, pioneered by the council.
Finally I wish you all a memorable time in the pleasant environs of this beautiful campus. I wish you take inspiration from this institution and continue to serve the people with dedication and create a more healthy nation.
