New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the vision of a developed India by 2047 "as we no longer want to continue with the identity of a developing nation any further", Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said on Thursday.
Healthcare contributes significantly to this goal as only a healthy nation can truly be a developed nation, she said, addressing the annual convocation ceremony of the Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) here as the chief guest.
"'Healthy India' and 'Health for All' are not just slogans, but the commitment of the government and a shared vision, a collective agenda of all stakeholders. Investment in health is one of the biggest investments for a developed India," Patel said.
She said the LHMC holds a distinguished status as one of the oldest medical institutions in the country, predating landmarks like Connaught Place, Parliament House and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The college has evolved over the last 110 years and today, it is a unique blend of the old infrastructure and the new buildings that dot the landscape of its campus, the minister said.
"LHMC has maintained its unique character, retaining the focus on women's empowerment, admitting all female students in MBBS and contributing to gender equality through post-graduate and specialty courses," said Patel.
"It is noteworthy that LHMC is awarding undergraduate degrees to 240 students and specialty degrees to close to 200 doctors annually, providing the nation and the world doctors who are skilled, competent professionals who will shape the healthcare for the next half a century," she added.
Addressing the students, Patel said since they have worked during the most difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will help them navigate through real-life challenges and contribute to their personal growth.
She said the medical profession is a unique blend of privilege and responsibility as doctors are highly regarded in the society and while shouldering the responsibility of upholding the highest ethical values in their professional life, they serve the underprivileged in the society.
Patel also congratulated the parents, faculty and everyone else who contributed to the successful pursuit of goals of the graduating students.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the vision of a developed India by the year 2047, as we no longer want to continue with the identity of a developing nation any further. Healthcare contributes significantly to this goal, as only a healthy nation can truly be a developed nation," she said.
Patel urged all the students to gather knowledge about the country's healthcare landscape and the transition it has gone through in the last 11 years.
She said the first and most important step in this direction was the introduction of a new National Health Policy in 2017 that is in line with the evolving healthcare landscape in the world.
"The government is moving forward with a comprehensive approach towards health that is not just curative and preventive, but also promotive, palliative and rehabilitative, with the preventive component being the most significant among the others," she added.
Underlining the government's efforts for ensuring universal healthcare, Patel said, "For a huge country like India with a population of 140 crore, the government is working tirelessly to ensure quality and affordable healthcare to all its citizens. With a strong political commitment, increased government funding, right policy and right strategy, the government expenditure on health has increased to almost 2 per cent of the GDP and we are steadily moving towards the goal of 2.5 per cent spending as stated in the National Health Policy."
She also stressed that the government is improving on all social indicators like housing, clean drinking water, sanitation and availability of clean cooking fuel as all these factors contribute to health.
Patel highlighted the strides made in the healthcare landscape of the country and said "the government is filling the critical gaps in the healthcare infrastructure and addressing the shortage of specialist doctors in the hard-to-reach areas of the country".
"We are moving forward to ensure the doctor-population ratio as per the WHO recommendations. Primary healthcare has been revolutionised through the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the number of AIIMS has increased from seven to 23, and digital solutions are being adopted to get better healthcare outcomes," she said.
Highlighting the government's initiatives to improve access, availability and quality of healthcare services, Patel said the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the world's largest health-insurance scheme, catering to the healthcare needs of 55 crore people -- 40 per cent of the total population -- frontline healthcare workers and senior citizens above the age of 70 years.
With the jan aushadhi kendras, access to quality medicines is being ensured at discounted prices, she added.
Collectively, the initiatives of the government have led to a significant decrease in the out-of-pocket expenditure of the citizens on healthcare, she said.
Patel also emphasised India's quick and robust response during the pandemic and said, "India set an example by establishing the fastest and biggest vaccination drive, and administered over 220 crore doses of Covid vaccines."
She urged the students to be agents of change through different ways like indulging in medical research to prepare the country for upcoming health challenges and adopting digital technology and innovations to increase citizens' access to healthcare.