Chief Minister Kamal Nath has said that among human rights, the biggest fundamental right is to provide better health facilities to the citizens. He said that when we talk about giving right to health, then we have to seriously consider that we must have infrastructure and finance along with the excellent and efficient human resources to ensure that people get health facilities. He said that it is the biggest challenge before us. Kamal Nath was inaugurating the two-day ‘Right to Health’ Conclave at Minto Hall on Friday.

 

Notably, Chief Minister Kamal Nath, during a review of the Health Department in May, had directed to prepare a plan to give right to health to the people in Madhya Pradesh. This conclave has been organised to fulfill the same intention of the Chief Minister.

 

The Chief Minister said that the right to health is a fundamental right of the citizens. At present, our health facilities are lagging behind. We have infrastructure and budget but there is a huge shortage of human resources including trained doctors. He said that we need people connected with medical on the basis of quality, not on the basis of numbers. The Chief Minister said that the medical profession is connected with human service. All those connected with this profession, should not render services as a job, but as a social service. He said that we have to provide health facilities to the people while facing these challenges.

 

The Chief Minister said that along with other fields, major changes have come up today in the medical field too and new technologies have been developed. What is required is that keeping in view the future, we make better use of these changes in the field of health. The Chief Minister said ‘I support the PPP model in the health sector but the suitable model has to be looked for which could provide health facilities to the people’. He said that there are still many villages, where there is no primary health centre and if there are primary health centres, there are no doctors. The Chief Minister said that no matter how good schemes we prepare, but if the delivery system is not good, then all our schemes get failed. He further said that whatever process we adopt in the Right to Health system, the implementation system must be effective so that the benefits reach the people. This is also a big challenge before us. The Chief Minister called for improving the functioning of the Medical Council of India. He said that this is necessary because today there have been many changes in the health sector, the needs have increased. In accordance with that, if we do not change the working process then we will not be able to get better results. Kamal Nath said that the conclave is also important with the point of view that the people who are participating in it have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience. “I expect that the conclusions drawn from the contemplation at the conclave would help people of Madhya Pradesh in getting the right to health and we can build a healthy Madhya Pradesh. Kamal Nath said that today is the Foundation Day of Madhya Pradesh. Ten years later, when we celebrate the Foundation Day of Madhya Pradesh, the health arrangements that are to be created in Madhya Pradesh on the basis of the conclusions of the conclave are proved to be a milestone and become an ideal model for the entire country.

The Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare, Tulsiram Silawat said that the Chief Minister Kamal Nath is committed to provide quality health and education facilities in Madhya Pradesh. He said that the Chief Minister’s intention is to provide better health facilities to the people of the state and also to add these in their rights. Silawat further said that it is our effort to cover 97 per cent of the diseases in the Right to Health Act. He said that through this, we will be able to provide the same facilities to the people of the state which are accessible to the Chief Minister, ministers or the upper classes. Madhya Pradesh to lead country in health sector: The Adviser of the NITI Aayog, Dr V K Paul said that the step taken by the Chief Minister Kamal Nath to give right to health is not only a courageous decision but by this Madhya Pradesh will also lead the country in the field of health. He congratulated the Chief Minister for this step. Paul said that without political will and commitment, we cannot provide the right to health to the people. For this he emphasised the need for availability of infrastructure, better utilisation of available health facilities and adequate budget as important. Dr Paul mentioned that we have to take steps in this direction with a well-planned strategy and clear thinking.

 

The Chief Minister released a guide of Shakti Yojana-2025, TB Free Madhya Pradesh and Palliative services published for the purpose of better health. The Adviser of UNAIDS. Helena N Kerg, CEO of the National Health Agency Dr Indu Bhushan, CMD of Apollo Hospital. Sangeet Reddy Magsaysay Awardee Bharat Vatwani, Writer and Economist Harsh Mandar including specialists connected with health and its related services from across the country were present on the occasion.