POINTING OUT that a large number of Indian students pursue medical education from smaller countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the private sector to expand its participation with the aim to produce maximum doctors within the country, Trend reports citing The Indian EXPRESS.
The Prime Minister’s statement comes in the backdrop of hundreds of Indian students, many of them studying medicine, stuck in war-hit Ukraine. However, Modi did not make any direct mention of the crisis in Ukraine. He was speaking at a webinar on the announcements for the health sector in the Union budget.
“Today our children are going to smaller countries to study, especially for medical education. They go despite the language barrier. Millions of rupees are going out of the country. Can’t our private sector enter this field in a big way? Can’t our state governments make policies so that India can produce a maximum number of doctors,” Modi said.
The PM emphasised that this year’s budget has been built upon the efforts to transform the healthcare sector in the last seven years. “We have adopted a holistic approach in our healthcare system. Today, our focus is not only on health but equally on wellness,” Modi said. He highlighted that three key factors will make the health sector ‘holistic and inclusive’. “First, the expansion of modern medical science-related infrastructure and human resources. Secondly, promotion of research in the traditional Indian medical systems, such as Ayush. Third, providing affordable modern healthcare to every citizen and every region of the country,” Modi said.
On modern and futuristic technologies in the healthcare sector, the PM specifically highlighted the launch of Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission aimed at providing an easy interface between the consumer and healthcare provider. “With this, both getting and giving treatment will become easy. Not only this, it will also facilitate global access to India’s quality and affordable healthcare system,” Modi said. “It is our endeavour that critical healthcare facilities should be at the block level, at the district level, near the villages. This infrastructure needs to be maintained and upgraded from time to time. For this, the private sector will also have to step in with more energy,” he added.