Make India leading power in medical research, health care: President

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday asked the health care fraternity to work towards making India a leading power in medical research and ensure facilities are so affordable that people from across the world can come to the country to avail them.

She was the chief guest at the inauguration of the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur.

Hailing GMCH for the services it had rendered in the past 75 years, the President said affordable medical facilities were necessary for the overall development of any society.

The COVID pandemic made everyone realise the importance of a strong health care system, she said.

 

"It was the hard work of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals which ensured India could vaccinate such a huge population speedily against the disease," she said.

Pointing out that lack of doctors was a big obstacle in providing universal health care, the President said the country had recently seen a good increase in the number of medical colleges as well as MBBS and post graduate seats, all of which would play an important role in providing proper facilities to people.

Disparity in health services is also a problem and the Central government is addressing it by opening medical colleges in districts, which will reduce regional imbalance and the rural-urban divide, Murmu said.

Hailing the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana as well as the digitisation of medical records, Murmu underlined the need to spread awareness on organ donation, which at the moment was low.

The President lauded GMCH for its research in mental health and for contributing to the health care sector of Maharashtra.

"Take steps in making the country a leading power in medical research and health care and make these so affordable that people from across the world should come to you for health services," she told the gathering.

Lauding GMCH for giving good doctors to the country, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government has given Rs 550 crore for the development of the facility.

This will provide a facelift to the college and hospital due to the addition of modern amenities, said Fadnavis, who also told the gathering that he was born in GMCH, Nagpur.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said it was the wish of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that all citizens get good medical facilities at minimum cost.

Gadkari, who is Lok Sabha MP from here, also said GMCH had made Nagpur famous because those who studied medicine here have been tendering services across the world.