He also expressed a grave concern over the quality of contemporary medical education and in turn of doctors in the country, blaming corrupt practices in education sector.
"If governments, whether State or Central, want to provide 'sasta and badhiya ilaz' (affordable and quality treatment) for every layer of society, right from BPL to the rich, then the infrastructural facilities like land, power, water etc should be given to private sector for setting up medical colleges and hospitals", said the Padmashree-laureate cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeon.
He was interacting with media at press club here.
Dr Trehan said a three-pronged strategy could be designed to provide affordable and high quality medical treatment to BPL families, middle class and those who can afford the costly healthcare.
"Such PPP model is being discussed with Central government and something will emerge soon", he said responding to a query.
Medical expenses could be cut by at least 30 per cent in the country if apparatus needed for costly surgeries like joint replacement, heart and brain are produced locally, Trehan claimed.
The ace surgeon who is the alumnus of King George Medical College, Lucknow and American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery expressed displeasure over the unscrupulous practices in medical education in the country.
"Trusts are formed in name of setting up hospitals and are given permission by governments to run medical colleges. Such institutions are grabbing lands under the guise of trusts and securing accreditation and recognition by unfair means to run medical institutions thus providing bad quality of medicare at the cost of respected colleges", he said.
Lamenting mushrooming number of medical colleges in the country, Trehan said, "Only 20-30 per cent of private medical colleges are good, whereas 60-70 per cent are not up to the medical standards".
He said quality of today's doctors is "not ideal and not very good". (More)
