Government & private sector must join hands to strengthen PHCs: Vice President

New Delhi: The Vice President of India, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu has said that Government and private sector must join hands to strengthen Primary Health Centers which play a key role in supplying low cost essential medicines to rural areas. He was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for the Primary Healthcare Centre in Atukuru village near Vijayawada on 2nd February.

Mr Naidu said that the Private hospitals along with government hospitals should take part in providing Primary Health services at remote level. PHC is the cornerstone upon which most of the health delivery systems of a nation are built. The goal of PHC should be to make universal health care available to all people and reach the unreached in the remote corners of the country, he said.

The Vice President said that it is important for professionals who provide primary care need to possess’ clinical, management skills, as well as social skills to bring in a humane approach. At times, they must also play the role of counselors to get people out of trauma in some situations, he said.

Later addressing the gathering after inaugurating the additional facilities at the Shankara Netra Chikitsalaya in Vijayawada, the Vice President also said that the private sector needs to come forward in health-care sector in India to fulfill the health-care requirements.

He further said that despite new breakthroughs in medical field, non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases and cancer are on the rise. While the private sector is playing an important role in expanding healthcare facilities, it should also ensure that the common man is not burdened by the cost of medical treatment, he added.

The Vice President said that there is a need to increase awareness on diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of blindness among diabetics. Diabetics must get evaluated regularly for early detection and treatment of retinopathy. It is believed that 80 percent of childhood blindness is preventable and treatable, he added.