The time has passed for addressing illness, time has come to address wellness.... We will have to move ahead with a comprehensive thought, in which we should address wellness and well-being and not only illness," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, turned the spotlight on the state of healthcare in the country as he urged graduating students of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Institute and Research (PGIMIR), Chandigarh, to serve the poor of the nation at every step in their career. Speaking to over 500 post graduate students at the 34th Convocation ceremony of the coveted medical institute, he echoed his speech at the recently concluded Global Call to Action Summit, he emphasised on "holistic" and "preventive" health care.
The time has passed for addressing illness, time has come to address wellness.... We will have to move ahead with a comprehensive thought, in which we should address wellness and well-being and not only illness," he said.
Echoing his policy throughout his term in office, he also laid much emphasis on yoga as a means to reaching this holistic health.
The PM called on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda to inspire the students to focus their services on the poor and the weak, saying, ""When you are in a state of confusion and unsure about a particular situation, when you think whether to do this or that, for a moment, just think about that poor man who may have played a role in your life, thought about you, remember him, the decision you are going to take will be decided automatically."
The PM may not be one to shy away grandiose statements but his focus on the plight of the poor comes on the heels of the health ministry's National Rural Health Statistics report, which has shown a shortfall of doctors, specialists and other medical staff in sub, primary and community health centres across the country, a worrying statistic for a system that caters to lakhs of deprived communities.
Stretching his tendency for conflation, the PM vested significance in the graduation being held on 11 September, the anniversary of the attacks on the twin towers in the United States, in 2001. He said that this day should also be remembered " when young doctors are stepping out from this institute to take upon the task of saving the lives of others. Killing is very easy, but one has to dedicate an entire life for preserving life."
The star studded event was also attended by the Health Minister JP Nadda, who took up where the PM left off, and spoke about the institute's move towards the PM's dream of a digital India, working towards full implementation of e-hospital. The health ministry as a whole has been showing itself to be focussed on technology in its health outreach programmes, in line with the PM's emphasis on all things digital.
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