Padma Bhushan awardee doctor calls for strengthening 4 pillars of healthcare

New Delhi, Aug 14 As India is all set to cheer the 75th Independence Day on August 15, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardee Dr Ashok Seth underlines the health agenda ahead.

"We should now consolidate on this trust and confidence to strengthen our four pillars of healthcare delivery ie. infrastructure augmentation at all levels, enhance indigenous manufacturing of healthcare consumables, greater government participation, and support for research and development, adequate education and training and support for healthcare professionals including doctors and nurses. This is the opportunity to sit on the same side of the table for all stakeholders, he opined."

He said the Covid pandemic has brought together the public and private healthcare sectors of India who have worked shoulder to shoulder to fight the virus. "The Government has been commendably proactive with its policies and has successfully protected the huge population of India."

Asked how the health infrastructure should take it further to provide treatment to every citizen including those in the lowest strata of society, Seth added, "Healthcare infrastructure needs to be augmented to a much greater degree at the primary care and district levels where standards of care and treatment for all diseases should be available at affordable costs. This is where 70% of India's population resides. The opportunity is there for more robust public-private partnerships".

Talking about the doctor-patient relationship, he said, "While we increase the number of doctors and nurses coming out through our medical colleges, their respect, care, and morale are of utmost importance. HCWs are our most important healthcare resource."

On the threat of a third Covid wave, Seth pointed out that the Covid waves are inevitable and will continue for some time and with regional outbreaks till the nation gets effectively vaccinated. However, the severity of the wave relates to how the virus behaves or mutates or how we as a public behave.

"Preventing the severe wave is in our hands. The Government and policymakers have worked diligently and non-stop for one and a half years to do all that can be done to protect us. It is also now our responsibility. Double vaccination, removing vaccine hesitancy, double masking when going out, not going out unnecessarily, avoiding crowding, hand sanitation, doing everything to avoid virus spread is now in our hands. We need to be responsible for ourselves and others around us to not spread coronavirus" he said.

"We need to unite to fight this single common enemy and together I am sure we will defeat it. Everyone should make this a 75th Independence Day pledge" said Seth.