Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], July 6 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said doctors are the guiding light of society and that healthcare infrastructure and medical services have witnessed significant expansion across the country, including Haryana, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Saini was addressing a programme organised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Ambala City, where Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda attended as the chief guest and interacted with doctors. Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij was also present.
Addressing the gathering, Saini described doctors as the guiding light of society and said the medical profession has been accorded the status of "Vaidyo Narayano Hari" in Indian scriptures for its service to humanity. He said doctors stand by patients during their most difficult moments and that the past 12 years had witnessed unprecedented progress in the country's healthcare sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a focus on ensuring quality healthcare reaches the last person.
Highlighting the state's achievements, the Chief Minister said nearly 32 lakh people in Haryana had benefited under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
According to a release, he said 17 medical colleges had been established in the state over the past 12 years, while work on additional institutions was underway, adding that establishing a medical college in every district remained a priority of the state government. Saini said Haryana, which produced around 700 doctors annually before 2014, was now producing more than 2,500 doctors every year. He also assured the IMA that the state government would positively consider the association's demands.
Addressing the programme, Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda urged doctors to share their achievements and success stories with the public, saying the medical profession serves society round the clock with dedication and compassion.
Highlighting healthcare initiatives under the Centre, Nadda said nearly 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs had been established across the country to provide primary healthcare services. He said 11 vaccines were now being administered nationwide from birth to the age of 16 years, with coverage reaching around 98 per cent.
The Union Minister said the percentage of women delivering in government hospitals had increased significantly. Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said India developed its own vaccines, supplied them to several countries and ensured vaccination, including booster doses, for lakhs of people. He also said India had remained polio-free while some countries continued to struggle with the disease.
Nadda said nearly 42 crore people had undergone health screening under various government initiatives since 2017, including screening for dental ailments, mental health conditions, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer and other diseases. He said these health check-ups were conducted for people above 30 years of age through ASHA workers.
He further said medical facilities had been strengthened through various programmes under the Ayushman Bharat scheme over the past nine months and called for greater focus on telemedicine and Ayurvedic healthcare to improve access to quality treatment.
Praising the Haryana government, Nadda said the state had made significant progress in the healthcare sector under Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. He said Haryana had established 17 medical colleges and had been allotted two AIIMS institutions under the Centre's initiative to establish 23 new AIIMS across the country.
During the programme, representatives of the Indian Medical Association submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to Union Health Minister and Chief Minister. (ANI)
