PM Narendra Modi advocates ‘Make in India’ for healthcare too

Describing neonatal and maternal mortality rates as a matter of grave concern, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government wanted to effectively use its ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ campaigns to reach healthcare to the country’s poorest of the poor. Speaking after inaugurating the refurbished and partly new HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Modi said preventive care was the most important component of overall healthcare and also inexpensive. Addressing the gathering, which included Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, his wife and Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita, and eminent personalities, Modi said he wanted companies to come to India and manufacture expensive equipment needed for medical treatment.

“I want FDI to come into the sector. If hospitals like this are part of the network providing medical advice through telemedicine, quality healthcare can reach people living in remote areas for which Digital India can come in handy. I want the Digital India initiative to be effectively used for improving medicare and education,” he said.

Modi, who is pursuing his ‘Clean India’ campaign with great zeal, underscored the importance of hygiene and preventive care to stay healthy.

“Preventive care is the most important component of healthcare. Getting treatment for a disease is expensive, staying healthy is inexpensive. If people get clean drinking water, they will not be afflicted by a number of diseases,” he said.

Modi said like the “kayakalp” (renewal) of the 98-year-old hospital by the Reliance Foundation, it was possible to “renew and transform” the nation. “A true leader works with the intention of wiping the tears of the poor,” he said, adding “the path of health assurance is more difficult than that of health insurance, but achievable”.