Health sector overcame trial by fire: PM

The prestige of India’s health sector and trust in it has increased manifold across the globe after it successfully overcame the trial by fire during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday and asserted that time has come to take accessibility and affordability in

healthcare to the next level.

Addressing a webinar on effective implementation of the Union Budget’s provisions in the health sector, he said the budget allocated to health this year is unprecedented and shows the government’s commitment to provide better healthcare. Modi said his government is taking a holistic approach to healthcare and is not just focused on treatment but also wellness. To keep India healthy, the government is working on four fronts simultaneously — prevention of illness and promotion of wellness, providing cheap and effective treatment to the poorest of the poor, increasing quality and quantity of health infrastructure and healthcare professionals, and working on mission mode to overcome obstacles, Modi said. The Prime Minister said it is time to take accessibility and affordability in healthcare to the next level for which use of modern technology is being increased.

“Last year was in a way like ‘agnipareeksha’ (trial by fire) for the country and particularly for the health sector. I am happy that country’s health sector was successful in this ‘agnipareeksha’. We managed to save so many lives,” he said while crediting the achievement to combined efforts of government and private sector.