From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 7: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Thursday, April 7 emphasized the need for focusing on creating screening and diagnosis systems to predict and prevent diseases at an early stage.
Addressing the World Health Day programme organized at Arogya Soudha in Bengaluru on Thursday, the minister said establishing systems to treat and cure diseases alone would not be enough.
Dr Sudhakar said clean atmosphere and clean food are the basic pillars of good health.
But our atmosphere has deteriorated due to air pollution leading to many lung and respiratory diseases. Excessive use of processed and junk food is leading to cancer, obesity and other lifestyle diseases, he said.
People visit doctors only after they start experiencing symptoms and damage has begun to their vital organs.
“We need to change this behaviour and increase awareness about non-communicable and lifestyle diseases. With the help of technology we can develop screenings and diagnosing systems which can predict diseases at the early stage and thereby help people to take preventive measures,’’ he said.
There are many professions in our society. But no profession gives as much satisfaction and contentment as medical profession. This is possible if only we inculcate the values of service, compassion and love, he said.
The minister mentioned that the State has 44,000 ASHA workers who are taking the government’s healthcare services to people's doorsteps, In the last two years we have completed all due promotions in the department. Our government has also focused on training of employees, he said.
Dr Sudhakar said doctors must never compromise in their profession. IAS, KAS officers take care of administrative tasks. Doctors must also develop administrative capabilities to ensure better efficiency in delivery of healthcare services and better management of hospitals.
Previous governments never focused on training our doctors in administrative skills and our government will do it, he said.
There is a demand to ensure parity in pay scale to state government employees on par with central government employees. The government has already formed a committee to look into this matter.
“I will also personally request the Chief Minister to ensure parity in pay scale for doctors and employees of Health and Family Welfare Department. We will also complete recruitment of vacant posts. A special drive to screen every person for eye ailments. We have also expanded our dialysis scheme to ensure it is accessible and affordable to poor people,’’ he said.
Health Day Celebration
Dr Sudhakar said: “We are planning to organise a big programme bringing together all 44,000 ASHA workers of the State. Union Health Minister will also be invited for the event. We are taking measures to increase awareness about organ donation. Puneeth Rajkumar has become a role model for eye donation and number of people coming forward to pledge for eye donation has increased. We will rope in other celebrities also to increase awareness about organ donation.”
Govt won’t interfere in religious matters
Answering questions, the minister said the government does not believe in partiality towards any one religion as all are equal in the eyes of law. “Government will never do anything to harm religious or communal harmony,’’ he said making it clear that he is a secular politician.
Dr Sudhakar asserted that the State Government had no role in the hijab, halal cut and other divisive issues and said he has no idea about the forces behind such controversial issues.
The minister claimed that RSS was a nationalist and service oriented organisation and the RSS workers devote their lives in the service of the nation. Those who have doubts about RSS must spend at least one day with RSS workers to understand the work they do, he said pointing out that RSS workers went to the extent of cleaning toilets during the Covid period and distributed food by visiting houses of the affected people.