Need to look ahead, strengthen public health system, says AIIMS director

While addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry Public health summit virtually, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences Delhi Director, Dr Randeep Guleria said as India prepares for the possibility of a third wave of Covid-19 infections, there is a need to strengthen the public health care system of the country.

New Delhi: As India prepares for the possibility of a third wave of Covid-19 infections and deals with the new variants of Coronavirus like Delta Plus, there is a need to strengthen the public health care system of the country, said Dr Randeep Guleria, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director (Delhi) on Monday. Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Public health summit virtually, Dr Guleria said with changing times, India has to change its public health system too. "As we now prepare for the possibility of the third wave and new variants like Delta Plus, it's important to see what we can do. We need to look ahead and see how we can strengthen our public health care system, focusing on lessons we have learnt from the past," said Guleria.

"This is important not because of the current pandemic situation but because of what last 15 years have shown us that for the future, we will have to be prepared for ongoing outbreaks and pandemics," the AIIMS director added. He said that the basic aim is to have equitable access to healthcare even in rural and remote areas of the country for everyone who needs it. "With changing times, we have to change our public health system. One of the steps was Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY which has made a huge difference as far as health care is concerned," he added.

(ANI)