Govt neglected primary health care -- Dutt

Govt neglected primary health care -- Dutt
VIVEK RAO MOODBIDRI

PUNE, JAN 14: "The government has failed to provide even primary health care to the people apart from making tall promises,'' lamented thespian MP Sunil Dutt, inaugurating the free plastic surgery camp organised by the Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana and the Sancheti Institute, at the hospital premises on Sunday.

``A large number of children die just because health care is neglected by our policy makers. In rural India, hospitals do not have the basic facilities to treat the sick,'' he said. The camp is being conducted by Dr Sharad Kumar Dixit, a plastic surgeon who is suffering from cancer of the throat, heart ailments and moves around with the help of wheel chair. Dutt lauded Dixit for coming to the rescue of the ailing.

Dixit has so far operated upon 4000 patients in the past six months in different parts of the country, and is rearing to conduct another 18 camps in near future. In the city, he plans to conduct plastic surgery on around 2000 people who are suffering from cliffed-lips, squint eyes and with wound scars.

Dutt lamented that as per the latest World Health Organisation report children between the age group of 1 and 5 die in India just because they are not able to get proper food and right medical facilities. Foodgrains do no reach the needy, they rot in the godowns, he said.

``Why has the United States made rapid strides? It is just because it has provided maximum care to the poorest of the poor, without any caste discrimination and we should take a cue from them,'' the MP said while lambasting our leaders for their casteist biases.

``It is people like Dixit, who deserve awards like the Bharat Ratna for their selfless service to suffering patients. And the awards should be given when the recipient is alive and not posthumously. The formula for giving awards should be service to the nation, he said, prodding the organisers to set up a trust in the name of Dixit, ``so that even in the future the needy will not fail to get proper medical treatment.''