Shun corporatisation, work for poor: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday exhorted private medical facilities in the state to not just indulge in corporatisation of healthcare sector but also find out ways to get empaneled with government schemes for the greater public good.
Speaking at the inauguration of a 200-bed private cancer and multispecialty hospital in Lucknow on Sunday, the CM exhorted the private healthcare sector to proactively work with the government to provide better healthcare to the people. “Corporatisation of health services should be minimised and the private sector should also turn towards charity. They should find out ways to get empaneled with government schemes like Aayushman Bharat and Jan Aarogya schemes for the poor so that rates of various health services can be rationalised in private facilities,” the CM said.
“I agree that machines at private facilities are costly and in the government sector it takes a lot of time to get doctor’s consultation owing to the large number of patients, but if the rates are reasonable at private facilities under government schemes, influx of patients will reduce the cost burden of private hospitals,” he said.
Talking about the facilities at the hospital, the CM said that multiple testing and diagnostic amenities under one roof such as PET CT, chemotherapy, brachytherapy, MRI and others would benefit patients.
“We have Kalyan Singh Superspecialty Cancer Institute in Lucknow but there the government has its limitations. As UP has a huge population, there is immense burden on healthcare. Most of the cancer patients visiting Tata Cancer Hospital are from north India. This is the reason why private sector needs to work together with the government so that people don’t have to rush to other states. Here, people will get world-class cancer treatment facilities,” the CM said.
The CM lauded PM Narendra Modi’s leadership in combating pandemic. “The US and Europe are said to have better healthcare than India, but they failed to control pandemic. India’s death rate was lower than most of countries. China is in complete lockdown due to a fourth wave but India’s efforts have borne great results in war against Covid,” he said.
He said healthcare facilities in UP have improved in the last five years. “From 1947 to 2017, there were just 12 medical colleges in UP. In five years, we have given medical colleges to 59 districts, besides two AIIMS. We have almost eradicated Japanese Encephalitis,” he said. Director of the hospital, Dr Deepak Agarwal, said: “We will i work towards empanelment of our facilities with government schemes for poor patients. We will look for other avenues to help poor patients.”