Azad seeks tie-up in healthcare
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has urged the overseas Indian medical professionals to partner in building institutions in India, especially in areas where the shortage of professionals is most acute.
The minister was inaugurating the Health conference at the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2012 in Jaipur on Saturday.
“One of the most effective partnerships we hope to forge with you all today is in a variety of areas including medical research, academic collaboration, tele-medicine and skill building,” he said.
He added, “We see twining opportunity here between such centers and those with which you may be involved in your countries of residence.
“These could serve as a two way knowledge exchange.”
There is great scope for ‘adopting’ blocks or districts to implement a range of promotional and preventive strategies, he added.
“These could include school health programme, adolescent health and development, preventive health strategies and community level screening, particularly for the emerging non-communicable diseases where the burden is likely to grow manifold.
“Your engagement could be much larger and deeper to create a profound and lasting impact”, he emphasized.
The health minister said after recognising the Post-graduate medical degrees of five English speaking countries for teaching as visiting faculty in India (namely UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand), the Centre was now considering to facilitate overseas citizens of India with foreign medical qualifications to both practice and teach in India.
“Let me assure you that we are prepared to go an extra mile to adequately liberalise policies and set up a single window within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to ease the process of your meaningful participation,” Azad said.
He also asked the overseas professionals to play a significant role in creation of awareness and identification of potential markets for Indian systems of medicines and products.
