The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the private sector need to come forward in health-care sector in India to fulfill the health-care requirements. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the additional facilities at the Shankara Netra Chikitsalaya in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh today. The Minister for Health and Medical Education, Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Kamineni Sreenivas and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President said that screening of the people to identify defects in eyesight is essential and Government health institutions and private bodies must join hands to undertake such screening programmes. Taking proper care of the eyes through periodic checkups is very essential as any defect in the eyesight will impact the individual in performing daily tasks be it at office or home, he added.Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Vice President said that health is real wealth and it is more relevant today than ever before as materialism and consumerism have become the bane of the modern day society.
He further said that despite new breakthroughs in medical field, non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases and cancer are on the rise. While the private sector is playing an important role in expanding healthcare facilities, it should also ensure that the common man is not burdened by the cost of medical treatment, he added.The Vice President said that there is a need to increase awareness on diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of blindness among diabetics. Diabetics must get evaluated regularly for early detection and treatment of retinopathy. It is believed that 80 per cent of childhood blindness is preventable and treatable, he added.The Vice President asked to introduce yoga in all schools for the overall development of children. Yoga will not only help in physical well-being but in mental peace too. Yoga has nothing to do with any religion although some people are propagating false notions in this regard, he added.