New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS): India on Sunday celebrated its 75th Independence Day with pride marking its freedom. As the whole nation celebrates this special occasion with the looming fear of the Covid-19 pandemic, the health agenda for India amidst the ongoing health crisis must take precedence in the nations consideration.
As the nation enters its 75th year of independence, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri recipient Ashok Seth underlines the health agenda ahead by saying: "We should now consolidate on this trust and confidence to strengthen our four pillars of healthcare delivery ie. infrastructure augmentation especially at all levels, enhance indigenously manufacturing of healthcare consumables, greater government participation, and support for research and development, adequate education and training and support of healthcare professionals including doctors and nurses. This is the opportunity to sit on the same side of the table for all stakeholders."
He said that the Covid pandemic has brought together the public and private healthcare sectors of India who worked shoulder to shoulder with collaboration and cooperation to fight the virus.
"The government has been commendably proactive with its policies and have successfully protected the huge population of India."
Being asked about how the health infrastructure should take the route further to provide treatment to every citizen including standing at lowest starts of society, Seth said:"Healthcare infrastructure needs to be augmented to a much greater degree at the primary care and district levels where standards of care and treatments for all diseases should be available at affordable costs. This is where 70 per cent of India's population resides. Opportunity is profound for more robust public-private partnerships."
Speaking about the doctor-patients relationship, he said: "While we increase the number of doctors and nurses coming out through our medical colleges, their respect, care, and morale are of utmost importance. Healthcare workers are our most important healthcare resource."
On the threat of a third Covid wave, Seth pointed out that the Covid waves are inevitable and will continue for some time and with regional outbreaks till the nation gets effectively vaccinated.
However, the severity of the wave relates to how the virus behaves or mutates or how we as a public behave, he noted.
"Preventing the severe wave is in our hands. The government and policymakers have worked diligently and nonstop for one and half years to do all that can be done to protect us. It is also now our responsibility also. Double Vaccination, removing vaccine hesitancy, double masking when going out, not going out unnecessarily, avoiding crowding, hand sanitation, doing everything to avoid virus spread is now in our hands. We need to be responsible for ourselves and others around us to not spread coronavirus.
"We need to unite together to fight this single common enemy and together I am sure we will defeat it. Everyone should make this the 75th Independence Day pledge," Seth added.