Poorest of poor should have access to sophisticated healthcare, says L-G
SUMMARY
Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Sunday called for more investments in health sector to ensure the “poorest of poor have access to sophisticated healthcare”.
Speaking at an event to commemorate 25 years of the Fortis Escorts Research Institute in the capital, Jung said, “When I was growing up in Delhi, we had just one large hospital, which was then known as Irwin hospital. As time progressed new hospitals have come up. While talking about them, we in the outside world say (they are) five-star hotels. and that’s really a problem for me.. because as a public person I am concerned about the availability of sophisticated medical facility for the poorest of the poor.”
The L-G also referred to the condition of the homeless in winters. “…We lost 150 people to the cold winter nights of Delhi. I wonder what happens when you are very sick and there is no one to take care of you,” he said.
In his address, chairman of Fortis Escorts Dr Ashok Seth said, “When we started, Escorts was a 150-bed hospital with just one cath lab. Our vision was to provide leadership and prevent Indian patients from going abroad for treatment by revolutionising cardiac care in India. Among the founding members were doctors who had returned from abroad with this vision.”
Shivinder Mohan Singh, executive vice-chairman of Fortis healthcare said in the next 25 years, patients, and preventive healthcare would be at the core of service delivery in hospitals.
“There is a need for communication in hospitals. Healthcare needs to be more customer focused,” he said.
In a panel discussion on the healthcare challenges in India, chief of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Dr Jayshree Mehta said district hospitals should be converted into teaching medical institutions.
