The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospital in Lucknow today (February 24, 2019).Speaking on the occasion, the President emphasised the importance of quality and affordable healthcare in the country, and particularly in Uttar Pradesh. He pointed to the successes in meeting the challenges of traditional infectious and communicable diseases, and also to the changing disease patterns in the country that are giving rise to greater cases to non-communicable or lifestyle ailments. In this context, the President said, the Ayushman Bharat programme, launched in 2018, will go a long way in providing medical cover, especially to underprivileged citizens.The President said that quality health for everybody was a shared goal. As such, he was happy the government, civil society, private and charitable institutions and other stakeholders were working together. The President expressed confidence that the Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospital would provide state-of-the-art medical care to the people of the state and the region at a reasonable cost.Others who were present and spoke on the occasion included the Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh, and Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group.