Health care budget has been doubled to 2 lakh crores says prime minister Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated the doctors community on the Doctors’ Day. Lauding legendary Doctor BC Roy he said that this significant day is celebrated in the name of this iconic figure who’s the symbol of highest ideals of our medical fraternity. He thanked the Doctors on behalf of 130 crore Indians for their services during the difficult Covid times during the last one and half year. Prime minister Narendra Modi was addressing an event organised by Indian Medical Association via video conference on Thursday.

Acknowledging the doctor’s contribution, the Prime Minister recalled their heroic efforts during the challenging pandemic times and paid homage to those who laid down their lives in the service of humanity. 

Lauding the sincere dedicated efforts of the medical fraternity Prime Minister said that our scientists and doctors have found solutions for all the challenges thrown by Corona. Our doctors are facing this new and fast mutating virus on the basis of their experience and expertise said prime minister. He added that despite the limitations of long-neglected medical infrastructure and pressures of the population, India’s per lakh population rate of infection and death rate is still manageable compared to even developed countries. Loss of lives is always painful but many lives have been saved too said PM Modi. Credit goes to hard-working doctors, healthcare workers, frontline workers for saving many lives, said the Prime Minister while addressing countrymen on Doctors Day.

Underlining the focus of the government on strengthening healthcare prime minister Modi said that during the ‘first wave’ about Rs 15 thousand crores were allocated for healthcare and this year, health sector budget has been doubled to more than 2 lakh crore rupees. Rs 50 thousand crore have been allocated for credit guarantee scheme to develop health infrastructure in the under-served area he added. He further said that in addition to the above new AIIMS, medical colleges are being established nationally. Work has been initiated on 15 AIIMS as opposed to total six AIIMS that existed in 2014. Number of Medical colleges have increased one and half times. Under graduate medical seats have increased one and half times and PG seats have grown by 80 per cent, informed the Prime Minister.

While reiterating the government’s commitment for the safety of doctors he said that stringent laws that have been brought into consideration to prevent violence against doctors including free insurance cover scheme for the Covid warriors.

The Prime Minister Modi called upon the doctors to continue inspiring people to get vaccinated and adopt Covid appropriate behaviour. He also commended medical fraternity for spreading awareness about Yoga. Work for propagating Yoga, that should have been done in the last century after Independence, is being done now, said the Prime Minister.

Praising the doctors for giving their time to the evidence-based studies on the benefits of yoga for dealing with post-Covid complications. Prime Minister asked if IMA can take up the evidence-based studies on yoga in a mission mode. He also suggested that studies on yoga could be published in international journals.

Emphasising the need for documentation of experiences by doctors prime minister Modi said that along with the experiences, symptoms of the patients and treatment plan needs to be documented in great details as well. He added : This can be taken up as a research study where effects of various medicines and treatments are noted.

Lauding the dedication of the doctors fraternity Modi said that sheer number of patients served by our doctors put them ahead of the world. Now is the time when the world takes cognizance and take benefit from these scientific studies. Covid pandemic can be a good starting point for this.

The Prime Minister wondered if we could study more deeply how vaccines are helping us, how early diagnosis helps. There is no documentation available about the last century’s pandemic but now we have technology and our documentation about how we faced Covid will help the humanity, concluded the Prime Minister.