‘Public-Pvt initiative in rural Healthcare needed’

Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday said that Government and private sector should come together to provide better healthcare facilities to citizens especially in rural areas.

The Chief Minister expressed these thoughts while inaugurating the 17th annual convention of Association of Surgeons of India's (ASI) Chhattisgarh Chapter here. On the occasion, veteran surgeons, who have been serving humanity for many years, were awarded lifetime achievement award.

He said that if every surgeon decides to do at least two free surgeries of needy patients, it would turn out to be a great service for humanity.

Singh said that building a healthy generation in new state of Chhattisgarh is the biggest challenge. Strategic steps are being taken since last 14 years to develop health-related infrastructure for facing this challenge.

There was a time, when only 8-10 patients used to visit OPD in Bijapur District Hospital, today 200-300 surgeries are performed there in a month. 36 doctors are working in this hospital, he said.

All the district hospitals are being well-equipped with better health facilities. In Balrampur district hospital also, modular operation theatre will be constructed soon. In this duration, the number of medical colleges in state has increased from two to 10. Earlier the state did not have any nursing college, now there are 68 colleges in state, Singh said.

The Chief Minister shared his experience of practice as a physician while mentioning about Chief Minister Health Security Scheme

 Singh said that under this scheme, 56 lakh families of the state are being provided with the facility of free medical treatment of up to Rs 50,000.

Singh said that under Mukhyamantri Bal Hriday Suraksha Yojana, heart surgeries of nearly 7000 children were done and the cost was borne by State Government. At the convention, the Chief Minister honoured Dr Anuradha Dubey, Dr ML Betris of Ambikapur Mission Hospital, Dr Dilip S Gore, Dr RS Nayak, Dr SJ Rizvi and Dr Sandeep Dave with Lifetime Achievement Award.

Talking about the dedication of Dr Betris, Singh said that he has been doing free surgery of needy patients in Surguja region since last 40 years. Dr Anuradha Dubey has done operation of 800 children under Mukhyamantri Bal Hriday Suraksha Yojana. Chairman of Association of Surgeons of India Dr Dilip S Gore, Head of Organizing Committee Dr Subhash Agrawal, Secretary Convention Organizing Committee Dr Devendra Nayak also addressed the programme.