By Sfoorti Mishra
New Delhi, May 17 (IANS): The medical fraternity has welcomed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's measures for health reforms, saying these would go a long way in strengthening the healthcare services across the country as well as help prepare India for any future outbreak.
"The government's decision to allot funds for public health labs and build infectious disease blocks in all district-level hospitals is praise-worthy. This will go a long way in strengthening healthcare services in the country as well as prepare the counrty for any future outbreak," said Federation of Resident Doctor Association India's President Dr Shivaji Dev Barman.
"Allotment of funds for providing adequate quantities of PPEs for healthcare workers will ensure their protection in the ongoing fight against COVID-19 epidemic," said Barman.
"Healthcare planning should include necessary inputs from doctors working at ground level and by introducing the Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadre. Healthcare system needs to be strengthened at every level along with an improved disease surveillance system. Research in the health sector should also be stepped up."
Dr Sudarshan Ballal, President of NatHealth- Healthcare Federation of India, said, "The healthcare industry welcomes these strategic reforms and looks forward to working with the government on expanding India's healthcare footprint. In view of the tremendous headwinds faced by the industry, we look forward to continuously engaging with Central and state governments for short-term support to sustain and maintain resilience in the face of COVID".
Dr.Shankar Narang Chief Operating Officer of Paras healthcare, which is among 'hospitals turned COVID 19 centres' in Ranchi, said, "If there is one positive that can be pulled out from the calamitous Covid-19 crisis, it is the fact that it has woken us up to the need for giving healthcare its due. We are happy that the Finance Minister has announced a slew of reforms and measures to improve healthcare infrastructure, including increased public expenditure on health, greater investment in ramping up grassroots-level healthcare systems, creating infectious disease hospital blocks in all districts and boosting ICMR's research capability."