Need affordable healthcare in India: Venkaiah Naidu

Making quality healthcare available to the masses is the most pressing need of the hour, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today said.
The government and the states should spend more on health sector and all stakeholders must focus more on medical services, Naidu said during his valedictory address on the concluding day of the 11th Global Doctors' Summit here.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed in expanding the medical sector and the "PM wants to have medical college in every district and trained medical staff in all these facilities".
Observing India has made great medical advancements in recent times, the Vice-President said, "India is still lagging behind in spite of the progresses".

Inviting the private sector to chip in substantially to help the health sector grow, Naidu said there is a need to develop a Public-private partnership (PPP) model too.
Addressing the doctors, Naidu said, "We treat a doctor as one who takes care of our lives. Medical profession is a noble profession as doctors are serving society".

Pointing out that modern lifestyle has made people shun physical exercise, Naidu advocated some sort of physical exercise and spiriual activities during the day which may help keep people fresh and stress-free.
"The sedentary lifestyle of Indians have to change and doctors and scientists shuld educate people," he said.

Naidu said there were 69.1 million cases of diabetes in India, according to a 2015 census, and called for the need to create greater awareness among the youth about the dangers of sedentary lifestyle and eating junk food.
Referring to the issue of brain drain, Naidu said, "I tell our children there are enough facilities in our colleges and IITs.
"Still if you want to go, go learn earn and then return," he quipped.
Governor K N Tripathi and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim were also present at the event.