'Health Vision' amalgamates modern with traditional systems

New Delhi, Aug 9 (UNI) National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda has unveiled a 'Health Vision for India' that entails integrating traditional systems of medicine with modern medicine to provide low cost solutions to the disease problems of people, setting up of more medical colleges and deployment of appropriate technologies.

The Vision document stresses the need for systems to be put in place which would encourage innovative solutions and create business models which could give the highest attention to medical education and training.

Mr Pitroda, the architect of telecom revolution in India, unveiled the new strategy while delivering the the valedictory address last evening at the two-day 'FICCI Heal 2008' Conference with 'Fostering Quality Healthcare for India, as its theme.

Mr Pitroda, known for his innovative ideas, headed six technology missions related to telecommunications, water, literacy, immunisation, dairy and oilseeds. The idea of setting up the missions was the brainchild of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr Pitroda is an internationally respected development thinker, telecom inventor and entrepreneur who has spent 40 years in the field of information and communication tehnology and handling several issues pertaining to human and national developments.

He recalled the enormous achievements of the health sector in India which has been developed in the last 50 years. "We have achieved a lot," he remarked.

He said the health scene in India affords a great opportunity to re-look at the health information network, creation of databases, protocols and electronic health records to address the challenge of creating a national Information Technology(IT) network for the country.

''We cannot replicate the western model of healthcare in India. We have to innovate and look for simple solutions that lie between the traditional and western formats,'' he said.

He however, regretted that not enough thinking has gone into this area. Mr Pitroda, CEO of WorldTel, said''we need talent and leadership to take the problems head on. Leadership that is not shortsighted and is willing to sacrifice rather than have expectations to draw from an already hard-pressed system.'' Mr Pitroda said he plans to launch a health portal in various languages, which will provide information on a wide range of issues related to the health.

''There is need to create a national portal on health. We are working on it and hope to launch in various regional languages, apart from English and Hindi,'' he added.

The portal will start operations in English in the next six months and later on have its content in other languagues.

UNI MP AE UCS1457