Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Vice President’s Secretariat
02-December-2018 15:29 IST
Private sector must ensure that the treatment provided by them is not only accessible but also affordable: Vice President
Private sector should not concentrate on urban areas alone and must set up healthcare facilities in the rural areas; Need to strengthen the Primary Healthcare system in our country; Inaugurates Rainbow Children’s Hospital
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the private sector must ensure that the treatment provided by them is not only accessible but also affordable.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating Rainbow Children’s Hospital, in Chennai today, the Vice President hoped that the Hospital would provide specialized but affordable care to children and contribute to the larger national mission of ensuring all infants survive, thrive and grow up into healthy active citizens of the New India
Highlighting the importance of healthcare in governance of any country, Shri Naidu said that providing a healthy and happy childhood to its children was the responsibility of every Indian. It must be noted that childhood plays a vital role in the overall physical, emotional and social well-being of an individual in the later years, he added.
The Vice President said that the experience in childhood leaves a profound impact and lays the foundation for the future. A child who is well nurtured nutritionally and emotionally will not only be happy but will also stay healthy, he added.
Expressing concern over the prematurity and low birth weight, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases, among others were main causes of child mortality in India, he stressed the need to step up the efforts in a concerted manner to meet the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs).
The Vice President said that participation and cooperation of both Public and Private Sector is essential to improve the preventive and treatment interventions for newborns and those below five years to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing under-five mortality to 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
The Vice President called up on the private sector to partner with the government in making healthcare affordable as well as accessible to the common man, particularly in the rural and remote parts of the country. The private sector should not concentrate on urban areas alone and must set up healthcare facilities in the rural areas as part of its CSR activities, he added.
Shri Naidu said that the miniscule penetration of health insurance at the individual level was a major reason for increase in the out-of-pocket expenditure borne by the households and stressed the need to vastly expand the health insurance coverage of the population in the country.
The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri Banwarilal Purohit, the Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu, Shri C. Vijayabhaskar, the Minister for Fisheries and Fishery Development, Tamil Nadu, Shri D. Jayakumar, the Member of Parliament, Dr. J. Jayavardhan and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Following is the text of Vice President’s address:
- “I am happy to be present at the inaugural ceremony of the Rainbow Children’s Hospital here in Chennai, today.
- Healthcare is one of the most important aspects of governance of any country. It is extremely crucial for any developing nation like India to provide a healthy and happy childhood to its children.
- Ensuring a healthy and happy childhood to children, who are the future of the country, is the responsibility of every Indian. It must be noted that childhood plays a vital role in the overall physical, emotional and social well-being of an individual in the later years.
- India, an estimated 24.7 million children are born every year. According to Census 2011, the share of children (0-6 years) accounted for 13.12 % of the total population in the country.
- The experience in childhood leaves a profound impact and lays the foundation for the future. A child who is well nurtured nutritionally and emotionally will not only be happy but will also stay healthy.
- According to UNICEF, nearly 43 per cent of children below five years in low and middle income countries are not getting the nutrition, protection and the stimulation they need.
- A recent report unveiled by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, said that India has improved its infant and neonatal medical care..
- In 2017, the infant mortality rate in India was 32 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to the global average of 12. In case of neonatal mortality rate too, India had 24 per 1,000 live births while the global average remained 18.
- India has to step up the efforts in a concerted manner to meet the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs).The major causes of child mortality in India include prematurity and low birth weight, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases, among others.
- According to the 2018 Pneumonia & diarrhoea Progress Report, released on November 12, 2018, in 2016 alone almost 261,000 Indian children died before their fifth birthday due to diarrhoea or pneumonia, both preventable diseases.
- I am aware of the efforts of the governments at Centre and States to improve the health parameters and further reduce the mortality rates.
- Much more needs to be done in improving the preventive and treatment interventions for newborns and those below five years to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing under-five mortality to 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
- It is indeed a tough task and it is not impossible to achieve. We need participation and cooperation of both Public and Private Sector and see that an effective healthcare model is implemented across the country.
- I would like the private sector to partner with the government in making healthcare affordable as well as accessible to the common man, particularly in the rural and remote parts of the country. The private sector should not concentrate on urban areas alone and must set up healthcare facilities in the rural areas as part of its CSR activities.
- Adhering to our commitments at the Astana Declaration on October, 2018, India must move from disease treatment to health promotion paradigm. We need to accelerate the journey towards attaining universal health coverage, where all people, including the most marginalized and vulnerable, have access to quality health services.
- Strengthening the Primary Health Care and providing adequate training to ASHA workers are vital in improving health coverage.
- It must be noted that building a robust primary health-care system is extremely important to realize UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
- I am sure, the Government’s announcement of Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Scheme to provide medical insurance to 10 crore poor and needy families will contribute towards improvement in maternal and child health indicators. Similarly, the Government’s proposal to establish 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres across the country to provide comprehensive healthcare, including maternal and child health services, is expected to improve outcomes.
- A major issue of concern in the health sector is the miniscule penetration of health insurance at the individual level with just two per cent having individual policies and another three per cent having corporate policies. As a result, almost three-fourths of the total health expenditure is borne by the households as out-of-pocket expenditure. Although some of the State Governments have launched special health insurance packages for the BPL families, there is a need to vastly expand the health insurance coverage of the population in the country.
- In the view of the huge challenge of meeting the basic healthcare needs of mothers and children, India needs many more specialized, pediatric care doctors and nursing professionals.
- While there is a need for setting up more specialized children’s hospitals, the private sector must ensure that the treatment provided by them is not only accessible but also affordable.
I do hope the Rainbow Children’s Hospital will provide specialized but affordable care to children and contribute to the larger national mission of ensuring all infants survive, thrive and grow up into healthy active citizens of the New India we all are aspiring for. I wish your hospital like the rainbow should bring cheer to many families and smiles on the faces of many children in the years to come.
पत्र सूचना कार्यालय
भारत सरकार
उप राष्ट्रपति सचिवालय
02-दिसंबर-2018 17:06 IST
निजी क्षेत्र को यह अवश्य सुनिश्चित करना चाहिए कि उनके द्वारा उपलब्ध कराया गया उपचार न केवल सुविधाजनक हो, बल्कि किफायती भी होः उपराष्ट्रपति
निजी क्षेत्र को केवल शहरी क्षेत्रों पर ही केन्द्रित नहीं होना चाहिए, बल्कि ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में भी स्वास्थ्य देखभाल सुविधाएं स्थापित करनी चाहिए; हमारे देश में प्राथमिक सवास्थ्य प्रणाली को सुदृढ़ बनाने की आवश्यकता; रेनबो शिशु अस्पताल का उद्घाटन किया
उपराष्ट्रपति श्री एम. वेंकैया नायडू ने कहा है कि निजी क्षेत्र को यह अवश्य सुनिश्चित करना चाहिए कि उनके द्वारा उपलब्ध कराया गया उपचार न केवल सुविधाजनक हो, बल्कि किफायती भी हो।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने आज चेन्नई में रेनबो शिशु अस्पताल का उद्घाटन करने के बाद उपस्थित जनसमूह को संबोधित करते हुए उम्मीद जताई की कि अस्पतालों को बच्चों को न केवल विशिष्ट बल्कि किफायती सुविधा भी उपलब्ध करानी चाहिए और यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि सभी नवजात शिशु जीवित रहें, उनका पर्याप्त विकास हो और वे नवीन भारत के एक स्वस्थ्य सक्रिय नागरिकों के रूप में विकसित हों, उन्हें एक व्यापक राष्ट्रीय मिशन में भी योगदान देना चाहिए।
किसी भी देश की शासन प्रणाली में स्वास्थ्य देखभाल के महत्व को रेखांकित करते हुए श्री नायडू ने कहा कि बच्चों को स्वस्थ एवं प्रसन्न बचपन उपलब्ध कराना प्रत्येक भारतीयों की जिम्मेदारी है। उन्होंने कहा कि यह अवश्य नोट किया जाना चाहिए कि बचपन बाद के वर्षों में किसी व्यक्ति के समग्र शारीरिक, भावनात्मक एवं सामाजिक कल्याण में एक महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाता है।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने कहा कि बचपन के अनुभव का अगाध प्रभाव पड़ता है और यह भविष्य के लिए बुनियाद का निर्माण करता है। उन्होंने कहा कि जिन बच्चों की पौषणिक और भावनात्मक रूप से अच्छी देखभाल होती है, वे न केवल प्रसन्न होंगे बल्कि स्वस्थ भी बने रहेंगे।
भारत में शिशु मृत्यु दर के प्रमुख कारणों के रूप में पूर्व परिपक्वता एवं निम्न जन्म वजन, निमोनिया एवं डायरिया पर चिंता जताते हुए उन्होंने सतत् विकास लक्ष्यों (एसडीजी) को अर्जित करने के लिए ठोस तरीके से प्रयासों में गति लाने की जरूरत पर बल दिया।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने कहा कि वर्ष 2030 तक 5 वर्ष से कम उम्र के बच्चों की मृत्यु दर को प्रति हजार / 25 तक लाने के संयुक्त राष्ट्र के सतत् विकास लक्ष्य टारगेट को अर्जित करने के लिए नवजातों एवं 5 वर्ष के कम उम्र के बच्चों के लिए बचाव संबंधी तथा उपचारात्मक कदमों में बेहतरी लाने के लिए सार्वजनिक एवं निजी क्षेत्र दोनों की सहभागिता एवं सहयोग अनिवार्य है।
उपराष्ट्रपति ने निजी क्षेत्र से विशेष रूप से देश के ग्रामीण एवं सुदूरवर्ती क्षेत्रों में आम लोगों के लिए स्वास्थ्य देखभाल को किफायती एवं सुविधाजनक बनाने में सरकार के साथ साझेदारी करने की अपील की। उन्होंने कहा कि निजी क्षेत्र को अपनी सीएसआर गतिविधियों के एक हिस्से के रूप में केवल शहरी क्षेत्रों पर ही केन्द्रित नहीं होना चाहिए, बल्कि ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में भी स्वास्थ्य देखभाल सुविधाएं स्थापित करनी चाहिए।
श्री नायडू ने कहा कि व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर स्वास्थ्य बीमा की मामूली पैठ परिवारों द्वारा अपनी जेब से अधिक खर्च करने की एक बड़ी वजह है। उन्होंने देश में जनसंख्या के स्वास्थ्य बीमा कवरेज को व्यापक रूप से विस्तारित करने की आवश्यकता पर जोर दिया।
इस अवसर पर तमिलनाडु के राज्यपाल श्री बनवारी लाल पुरोहित, तमिलनाडु के स्वास्थ्य एवं परिवार कल्याण मंत्री श्री सी.विजय भास्कर, तमिलनाडु के मात्स्यिकी एवं मत्स्य विकास मंत्री श्री डी. जयकुमार, सांसद डॉ. जे. जयवर्द्धन एवं अन्य गणमान्य व्यक्ति भी उपस्थित थे।
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