President urges doctors to address rural healthcare needs

Navi Mumbai, Jul 8 (UNI) President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has called upon medical institutions and doctors to address the healthcare needs of the rural population.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new building of the Dr D Y Patil Medical College here today, the President urged the medical institutions to send their students to villages during the internship period.

''They (medical students) can also help in the creation of health workers in the villages by giving them training on basic medical skills and first aid treatment,'' the President said.

The President said that the success of government schemes such as National Rural Health Mission would depend on the willingness of doctors to serve in rural areas.

Highlighting the shortage of healthcare facilities and professionals, especially in rural areas, the President said that a national effort was necessary to sensitize the doctors to provide healthcare for all and not only the urban population.

Rueing the skewed availability of healthcare facilities in the country, she pointed out that 75 per cent of our medical facilities are located in urban centers. For the 70 per cent of our population living in villages, the medical facilities are limited and often located some distance away.

The President said that while it was necessary to equip students with necessary technical skills and knowledge in today's competitive world, the education system should also imbibe values of humanism, tolerance, harmony and truth in the students.

Acknowldeging the need to increase medical institutions in the country, the President stressed the need to maintain quality medical education. She called upon the Medical Council of India (MCI) and medical educators to put in place an updated regulatory framework for ensuring accountable functioning of medical institutions.

''The growth of the institutions has to be regulated in a manner that the best of education is available to the medical students.

Hence, the parameters of establishing institutions must be clearly defined,'' she added.

UNI JM MAZ RL HT1502