Guwahati, April 18 : Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that, nobody should encourage politics in rape cases because rape incidents should be dealt with stringently and indifferently.
While dedicated the Atal Amrit Abhiyan- ‘Medical benefits under cashless mode’ an ambitious health assurance scheme of Assam government, at a function held at International convention centre of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati, the Vice President suggested the people of the country that, don’t connect rape cases with politics. The moment you connect the rape cases with politics, then the issue is gone.
“After 70-year of independence, the great civilisation, people of ST, SC are discriminated. India is one and we are one nation, one people and one country,” the Vice President of India said.
The Vice President further said that, the government of India and the state government must be met together and leave politics to election and focus should be in development, inclusion in respect of community, religion.
Vice President Naidu also advocated for bridging the health care gap between city and rural areas.
He also advocated for creating more health care infrastructure in rural areas and medical colleges in villages.
“Preference must be given for PG admission to those students fir working in rural areas.Tthe Infant Mortality Rate which is 44 in Assam as against national average of 37,” Naidu asked the state government to go for more interventional work to reduce the gap.
He also advocated for increased health insurance in the country and work for inclusive growth for ending social discrimination and equal development of all sections of the people of the country.
“India has had twin burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Though diseases like polio, tetanus and others have been controlled to a phenomenal extent, the country still faces the wrath of non-communicable diseases like stroke, cardio-vascular diseases and he attributed the rise of non-communicable disease to changing life style and people’s increased indulgence in sedentary life style,” Naidu said.
He therefore, urged upon the government to make physical exercise and yoga as a mandatory component in school curriculum.
He said that physical vitalities in life style would make persons healthy.
Naidu also advocated for growing with nature and said that nature, culture and future must go together.
Naidu said that according to WHO survey half of the people of the world cannot obtain quality health care facilities and 7 per cent of the people of the country run out of money because of emergency health situations. Under such circumstances launching of Atal-Amrit Abhiyan for the people belonging to BPL and APL is a noble endeavour for making health care facilities within the reach of everybody. He also said that if the scheme is implemented in letter and spirit people of the state would acknowledge the government’s endeavour forever.
Vice President Naidu also said that Atal Amrit Abhiyan would lead to creation of equitable access to affordable and accountable health care services with government being the enabler and guarantor and the fact that 92 per cent of the people of Assam have been brought under the purview of the scheme is indeed a testimony of the government’s keen inclination in providing universal health care facilities.
Assam governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi while speaking on the occasion, termed the day as historic which helped the state to emerge as the largest health insurance system of the world.
He also said that the future of a country depends on the quality of health, its citizens enjoy. Maintaining that inclusion of 92 per cent of the people under the scheme is itself is a testimony of the government’s commitment to providing quality health care facilities to its people.
He said that this largest health care assurance scheme would bring about unprecedented changes in the delivery of secondary and tertiary health care delivery system in the state.
On the other hand, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal while speaking on the occasion gave a snapshot of different welfare schemes of the government.
He also sought people’s cooperation for the successful implementation of Atal-Amrit Abhiyan.
He said that ever since the present State government has assumed power, quality and equitable heath care delivery system has been one of the top priorities and launching and successful implementation of Atal-Amrit Abhiyan showed government’s commitment to ensuring health and wealth of the people of Assam.
Sonowal said that bringing 92 per cent of the people under the ambit of the scheme is yet another evidence of eagerness of the government for an advanced, accessible and accountable heath care delivery system for the people belonging to Barak, Brahmaputra, Hills and Plains.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that for a paradigm shift of the health care delivery system in the state the State government would also launch a health scheme Samartha where in 25 birth related defects can be corrected through surgical procedures and the scheme is in advanced stage of its implementation.
He also said State government has tied up with Tata Trust where 19 cancer hospitals would be set up in Assam.
Atal Amrit Abhiyan is a comprehensive coverage for six commonly prevalent and high cost diseases involving 438 procedures under which every individual of every eligible family per annum will be entitled to financial benefits of Rs 2 lakh and will cover 92 per cent of total population of Assam.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
