Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a webinar on effective implementation of Budget provisions in the health sector, said on Tuesday that the year 2020 was an acid test for the Covid-hit sector. The PM said the country established a long chain of Covid-19 labs within a short period and conducted over 21 crore tests in the country.
He said the COVID-19 has provided an opportunity to equip the country for any future pandemic by creating an infrastructure for labs, ventilators and hospitals. “In this budget, we have provided an opportunity to develop an ecosystem to strengthen better health services to handle any such future pandemic,” he said.
He said the objective of the health budget is to create a similar healthcare system in rural India as well. “World has noticed our efforts during COVID-19. Indian doctors’ demand is going to increase globally because of that. India’s medicine and vaccination have increased the trust level,” he said.
The PM said Indians are working together on four fronts to keep India healthy. “The first front is to prevent diseases i.e. prevention of illness and promotion of wellness. The second front is to provide cheap and effective treatment for the poorest of the poor. Schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra are doing the same. The third front is to increase the quality and quality of health infrastructure and health care professionals. And the fourth front is to work on mission mode to overcome problems. Schemes like Mission Indradhanush, which has been extended to the tribal and far-flung areas, are working towards this,” he added.
The PM said the Centre has set a target to eradicate TB from the country by 2025. “TB also spreads through droplets of the infected person. Wearing of masks, early diagnosis and treatment are also important in the prevention of TB,” he said.
He said the private sector can support PPP models in creating a network of public health laboratories. It can also partner with the national digital health mission, digital health records of citizens and other cutting-edge technology, he said.
