The Hindu 20.08.2012
Healthcare is beyond the reach of the poor: Mayor
Project to conduct 1 lakh blood sugar tests launched
Hubli-Dharwad Mayor Pandurang Patil formally launched the ‘Diabetes Awareness Project’ here on Sunday.
Asha
Heart and Diabetes Foundation and Majethia Foundation will jointly
implement the project under which one lakh people will undergo blood
sugar test.
Addressing a gathering after launching
the project, Dr. Patil said that there was a need for more such
initiatives by philanthropic organisations as healthcare was beyond the
reach of the common people.
Dr. Pandurang Patil spoke
at length on doctors’ “over-dependency on latest equipment’ and how
healthcare had become a costly affair. He said doctors invest in latest
equipment and seek returns.
As a result, healthcare
is out of reach for the poor patients. Although there were several
Central and State schemes to help poor patients, many a time they do not
reach them.He also said that there was need for
creating awareness that diabetes in itself is not a disease but if left
untreated, it would lead to many maladies and complications.
Secretary
of the Asha Heart and Diabetes Foundation and diabetologist G.B. Sattur
gave the audience details about the project and said that the
foundation in association with Majethia Foundation had chalked out plans
to cover 1 lakh people under the project within a span of six to eight
months.
Trustee of the foundation Jitendra Majethia spoke.Philanthropists had helped launch the project were felicitated.
