Pranab Mukherjee lays foundation stone for BRS Super Specialty Hospital
Udupi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday, June 18 laid the foundation stone for the A Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Super Speciality Hospital here. The formal programme was organised at the Rajangana, Sri Krishna Temple Udupi.
The programme began with the National Anthem sung by the police Band Udupi. Dr B R Shetty of B.R.S Health, Research Institute Pvt Ltd welcomed the gathering. President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone for the hospital by unveiling the plaque through the remote control.
Sri Visvesha Theetha Swamiji of Paryaya Pejawar Math blessed the occasion and said that we are very much glad the president of Indian, Pranab Mukherjee visited the Sri Krishna Temple during the last days of his presidentship. In the last 5 years, he had worked efficiently in building the nation building and has guided the nation in the right path.
In his message President Pranab Mukherjee said that I have visited Karnataka many times in different capacities during my public life. I am very happy to visit Udupi which is called an advanced district of Karnataka. The people of Udupi are known for their progressive thinking. The State’s impressive achievements in the field of literacy, education, health, gender equality, tourism and culture have brought it global acclaim.
Recalling the earlier political days, the president said that when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had contested the Lok Sabha by-elections from Chikkamagaluru I had continuously visited Udupi along with InidraJi for the election campaign. He also mentioned the close relation with Oscar Fernandes, Malpe Madhwaraj and Manorama Madhwaraj parents of Minister Pramod Madhwaraj on the occasion.
Further, the President said that I am happy to be in the Udupi Krishna Temple, and I am happy to know that the Temple is working for the upliftment of the people of this region through food, education and health care services.
He appreciated the relentless efforts of the private businessman for community welfare and said that their example will inspire many more to join in the service of people, nation and God.
The President said that while advances in modern medicine and investment in health infrastructure have made many diseases such as cholera, small pox, plague, tuberculosis etc. curable and eradicated others, yet there remains a huge gap in our country in terms of access to medicine and health care. This brings us to the larger and more serious question of the skewed nature of health care in India – both in terms of infrastructure and personnel. Against the international norm of one doctor per thousand population, we have one doctor for 1700 people in our country. The ratio thus stands at 0.7:1000. The situation is all the more alarming in the vast hinterland of rural India.
He pointed out that against the international norm of one doctor per thousand population, the country had one doctor for 1,700 people.
“The situation is more alarming in rural India where the shortage of surgeons is to the tune of 83.4 per cent, obstetricians and gynaecologists to the tune of 76.3 per cent, paediatrics to the tune of 82.1 per cent and general physician to the tune of 83 per cent at the level of the community health centres,” Mukherjee said.
“This is compounded by the fact that we educate and train about 50 percent less doctors than our requirement stands at.”
He said the shortage of doctors require immediate intervention and emphasised on more focus and investments in the field of preventive healthcare.
He called for ample infrastructure at the district and other rural areas and to encourage doctors and practitioners to serve there.
“Over the past 70 years, we have made significant progress in the quality of healthcare.”
The President also emphasised on the need to increase engagement of the corporate sector in public-private partnership in the field of public health, especially in rural areas.
The President said that only healthy mind and healthy body can be the abode of God. He appreciated Dr B R Shetty and his wife for their efforts in establishing this Hospital. He stated that providing accessible and affordable medical facilities should be the objective of healthcare in our country. He also emphasised that in case doctors are unable to save the lives of patients, attacks on doctors or any violence on the part of relatives of the patients should be avoided. He condemned this uncivilised behaviour and said that we should trust doctors who try their best to save lives and cure patients.
K R Ramesh Kumar minister for health and family welfare, K J George Minister for Bengaluru Development Town Planning, Pramod Madhwaraj Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports and Udupi district minister in charge, Dr C R Shetty were also present.
Dr Vincent Alva principal of Milagres College Kallinapur compered the programme.