The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of T.D. Medical College at Alappuzha today (March 16, 2013).
Speaking on the occasion, the President said the well being of a nation is dependent on the well being of its people. Unless the health of the population is secured, the productive potential of the country cannot be realized to the full extent. A sound health care system depends on the three pillars of availability, quality and affordability. The National Rural Health Mission was launched in 2005 to address these parameters in health sector.
The President said despite the progress made in health care system, we still have great distance to cover. The public sector health service in our country is limited by its reach. Many in our population are dependent on the private sector for delivery of health services. It is burdensome for poor people to access expensive medical treatment, and many fall into the trap of poverty on account of that. The quality of health care delivery by some of the health service providers also leave much to be desired. We must correct this situation by expanding good quality affordable public sector health care facilities.
This release issued at 1645 hrs