The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the private sector must come forward in health-care sector in India to fulfill the health-care requirements of the whole nation. He was addressing the 43rd National Conference of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of India with the theme “Innovate, inspire, integrate”, in Chennai today.The Vice President said that Science & Technology has been part of India’s culture right from the ancient times and we invented zero, place values, algebra, concept of atom, calculation of eclipses, among others. ‘Sushruta Samhita’ talks of surgery while Charak describes hundreds of diseases, their causes and treatment methods, he added.Saying the budding maxillofacial surgeons of today have a wider surgical horizon to explore, the Vice President said that the role of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in the society is of paramount importance and indispensable, especially during the time of tragic accidents or oral cancers.Showing concern over the present youth not wearing the helmets while riding motorbikes, the Vice President said that helmets protect from severe injuries to head and face in the unfortunate case of an accident. Wearing a helmet should be a matter of habit, he said. A road accident occurs every 3.5 minutes in India and over-speeding, mobile phone usage while driving and drivers’ fatigue caused the maximum number of road accidents in India and the youth are the most vulnerable to such incidents, he added. He cautioned the youth who enjoy high speed chases on motorbikes to be aware of the dangers of high speed. He added that they have a valuable life and bright future and do not let go of it for momentary happiness – Drive safe!
The Vice President said that India is the “oral cancer” capital of the world and it is among the top three cancers in India in terms of its incidence. This creates a responsibility for the oral and maxillofacial surgeons not only to treat this disease but also help in preventing the occurrence of oral cancer by increasing anti-tobacco awareness, he added.The Vice President urged the healthcare professionals to encourage people to go for early and regular medical checkups. Lack of early identification and diagnosis often leads to patients seeking care only in the terminal stages, he said. Steps must be taken to reduce the cost of oral & maxillofacial surgery and make it affordable to common man, including those in rural areas, he added.The Vice President said that early detection is crucial for any disease, more so for cancer. Although preventive, curative and palliative care programmes have been initiated at national and regional levels, these measures seem to be too negligible for combating the spread of cancer, he said. Unaffordable healthcare is a serious social handicap and Ayushman Bharat scheme would be a real boon to the poor and the needy, he added.The Vice President urged all healthcare professionals to create awareness regarding the maxillofacial treatment procedures and highlight them at all medical facilities including PHCs. There is a need to lay down a strong referral network to address them at the nearest district hospital where a specialized OMF service can be set up, he added.The Minister for Fisheries and Personnel & Administrative Reforms, Tamil Nadu, Shri D. Jayakumar, the President, Dental Council of India, Dr. Dibyendu Mazumdar, the President, Japanese Society of OMS, Dr. Mihikiki Kogo, the President of AOMSI, Dr. Philip Mathrew and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.