Corporates must help in improving health facilities: Pranab Mukherjee

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today called upon the corporate houses in the country to fulfill their social responsibility by creating quality health care facilities for the people.

There was a big gap between the need and availability of quality medicines for rural and urban population though the central and state governments were making their best efforts to improve the health sector, he said.

Corporate houses should come forward and extend helping hand to the Government in improving health infrastructure and provide quality medicines. In the process, they will also fulfil their corporate social responsibility (CSR) duties, he maintained.

Mukherjee was speaking after inaugurating a 135-bed hospital, Varalakshmi Care Hospital, constructed by GMR Group.

"Though the corporate houses are doing their best in helping the Governments, they should come forward liberally in fulfilling their social responsibility."

He complimented the GMR Group for constructing the state-of-the-art hospital, which will cater to the health needs of Rajam, a small town, its surrounding villages and also nearby Bhubaneswar.

The centre, states and corporate houses should work jointly to provide quality healthcare to the people, Mukherjee said, and cited the charity work done by the US-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

To reap the demographic dividend, the working age population should be equipped with professional skills, the Minister added.