“There are excellent doctors and institutions in the country, but government hospitals are sadly neglected. This is one of the many reasons why India cannot become a good-health country unless greater efforts are made,” N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu and Chairman of Kasturi & Sons Ltd., has said.
Speaking after inaugurating the Dr. Sesha Reddy Vignana Kendram here on Sunday, Mr. Ram underscored the need for understanding the distinction between healthcare and medical treatment so that awareness could be generated on preventive healthcare by involving institutions and doctors.
Conditions at the level of Primary Health Centre should be improved significantly, he said.
Public health
Taking a critical look at the existing conditions, Mr. Ram said that good healthcare outcomes would be possible only when ‘good doctors’ think and go beyond the confines of super specialities and educate people on public health aspects such as clean water, sanitation, and healthy food.
Stating that unaffordable medical expenditure was causing a lot of hardship, Mr. Ram recalled cases well-documented by senior journalist P. Sainath on how such medical costs brought about catastrophic results, leading to suicide in farmer families.
Mr. Ram paid tributes to the life-time services provided by Dr. Jetty Sesha Reddy, who continued the legacy of Comrade Puchalapalli Sundarayya and Dr. Puchalapalli Ramachandra Reddy, by laying strong foundation for the People’s Polyclinic in Nellore.
“Nowhere in the country such a committed institution could be seen and it was indeed commendable that they were able to sustain in their efforts,” he added.
Recalling his association with Puchalapalli Sundarayya and Dr. Sesha Reddy, Mr. Ram said that during the days of Emergency, he had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Sesha Reddy and saw how he was committed to public service.
In his address, Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana, who was the chief guest, said that Dr. Sesha Reddy played a key role in modernising the People’s Polyclinic by providing latest operation theatres and ultrasound equipment, which was one of the reasons for patients from even remote areas of Chittoor and Kadapa districts to approach the hospital.
Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, Mayor Abdul Aziz, former Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, MLCs — Beeda Ravichandra and Vitapu Balasubramanyam, ZP Chairman B. Raghavendra Reddy, and former MP P. Madhu were present.
