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.
