President Kovind dedicates 450-bed hospital at Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar: President Ram Nath Kovind yesterday dedicated a new 450-bed hospital in the premises of Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) near Yedabetta that offers state-of-the-art facilities to a region that is considered as one of the most backward in Karnataka.
With the new Hospital, people of the region need not depend on Mysuru as critical care infrastructure and super-speciality departments like cardiology and neurology among others are available for them in the nearest route. The President inaugurated the facility in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
In his address, the President focussed on education and healthcare that should be available to all. He stressed the need of making healthcare affordable and available to all. “Areas around the Hospital are densely forested with a large share of the population belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This institute caters to the needs of people from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and is now ready to offer high-quality medical care to all people in this region,” he said.
Interestingly, the President began his speech in Kannada and said that he liked to visit Karnataka and spend time with the citizens. “I am inaugurating this hospital on the day of Navarathri,” he said and remembered the contribution of Chamaraja Wadiyar who established a girl’s school way back in 1881, realising the importance of education.
“I am happy to inaugurate the hospital which is a centre of excellence. We need to take healthcare services to the remotest corners of our country. This will be in tune with the true aim of the expansion of medical services in the country. We can hope to build an Atma Nirbhar Bharat only when our technology, human resources and the access to both come together,” he said
The President called upon medical students and healthcare providers to work with the spirit of service and compassion. “Doctors, nurses and paramedics must serve the nation with a high degree of commitment and dedication and would bring glory to the profession and to the alma mater,” he added.
The Centre has increased the number of All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences from six to 22, and is also opening new medical colleges in every district to improve health infrastructure in the entire country and become centres of excellence.
He lauded CIMS for ranking third in successful implementation of the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme in 2020-21.
On vaccination, the First Citizen said that the cumulative vaccination coverage will soon cross one billion-mark and it could not have been achieved without the exemplary commitment of the country’s healthcare professionals. “In a single day, the country managed to vaccinate close to 25 million people, and the cumulative coverage will soon cross the 1 billion mark,” he said.
“Some sacrificed even their lives in the line of duty. Our nation will forever be indebted to them. Our Corona Warriors —doctors, nurses, paramedics, and others — have made our country proud with their relentless fervour,” he said. First Lady Savita Kovind, Karnataka
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar and Minister-in-charge of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts S.T. Somashekar, CIMS Dean Dr. G.M. Sanjeev were present.
” Affordable healthcare for all”! What is the meaning of this? In India, which has a massive number of people below the UN-defined poverty threshold, what did this statement from your president Kovind mean for them? What fraction of the poor people’s income should healthcare cost?
In India , the hospital like this are instruments of fleecing people, when the healthcare should be provided free at the point of delivery like in many Western countries . But still this country has followed the American model, where people are terrified of being ill as it costs an arm and leg to them, and yet after spending lakhs of Rupees which they can ill-afford, most of them are left with the illness, and are no better. Those who caan afford then look towards Singapore hospita. Shameful.