India has a robust health system, never think it's weak: Nadda
He was speaking after inaugurating the 'Kaushalyam' lab, which is a part of the medical college started by the Hedgewar hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in central Maharashtra.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 27 (PTI) India has a robust health system capable of taking care of a large population, and the country is also catering to international needs, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Sunday.
India is known for its unity in diversity, and such comparisons don't hold much weight, said the Union minister.
'If comparisons are to be made, then it has to be over the administration of 220 crore COVID vaccine doses, including boosters. If India can conduct vaccination on such a massive scale while maintaining the cold chain supply, it tells us that our health system is robust,' he said.
Nadda said 200 million children are born every year in India and are given various vaccines, which are recorded as well.
He also highlighted the government's efforts to produce more doctors. 'We are the ones who give doctors to the world. The number of medical seats (MBBS) has increased from 50,000 to 1.18 lakh, while PG seats have gone up from 3,000 to over 65,000,' he said, without specifying the period.
'We cannot be compared with the London health system. If we call back half of the doctors (produced by India) in London, their health system will collapse,' he said.
It's a matter of pride that doctors put their lives on the line to save people, he said.
'Our detection of tuberculosis and the decline in cases are twice as high as the global average. Our health system is advancing with great strength. People from African countries are coming here for cheaper and better treatment. We are catering to national as well as international needs,' he said.
Nadda said one can earn lakhs through the medical profession, but the field is aimed at earning the goodwill of millions of people.
'So you have to decide your course of action… No one gets everything in one life. The priorities should be set and one must strike a balance between self and society,' he said at the high-tech laboratory.
Nadda also wondered if 'international standards should be our standards'.
'India needs to prepare its own base. So we have to be aware of what we need in the medical field and the way we are moving ahead,' he added.
Earlier in the day, Nadda said fighting cancer was a top priority area for policymakers, and Rs 3000 crore had been allocated in the last eight years for high-end treatment. He was speaking after inaugurating the Truebeam facility (linear accelerator used in radiation oncology) at the State Cancer Institute here. PTI AW NR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
NEET UG dental counselling derails after Centre order
Bhopal: Just a day after it began, the first round of State Combined Counselling was cancelled by the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) here on Tuesday. The move came after a letter from the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) dental education section, dated Aug 14, 2025 that ordered the cessation of admissions at Guru Govind Singh College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Burhanpur. The timing of the ministry's directive — issued four days before counselling began but apparently not acted upon until after allotments were made — has sparked criticism from students and education advocates. With 100 BDS seats now removed from the matrix, the entire first round of allotments has been scrapped. "In view of the above the allotment of first round declared on Aug 18 stands cancelled. Fresh allotment result after removing 100 BDS seats in Guru Govind Singh College of Dental Science and Research centre, Burhanpur will be declared on Aug 20 and admission process will restart from 3 PM on Wednesday. All candidates are advised to remain in touch with MPOnline portal and DME website for updates," DME official said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria inaugurates Dark Room Lab for children with special needs
Patiala: Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria inaugurated a specially designed Dark Room Lab at Vaani School for Hearing Impaired, Patiala, on Tuesday. The governor provided a financial support of Rs 20 lakh to the project through the Punjab Child Welfare Council for autistic and intellectually disabled children. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kataria said the real progress of the nation lies in improving the lives of children with special needs. He expressed confidence that the Dark Room Lab would help calm hyperactivity and aggression, thereby creating a better learning environment for such students. The governor urged the citizens, NGOs and social workers to extend full support to the Punjab Child Welfare Council, which has been working for the children's welfare since 1962. Appreciating the efforts of the council, deputy commissioner Dr Preeti Yadav and Vaani School teachers, Kataria said if the hidden talents of such children were nurtured, they could become valuable contributors to society. He also praised the Punjab govt's campaign against drugs, reminding that Punjabis had always made sacrifices, whether in the freedom struggle or as the nation's food providers. They must now unite to eliminate the drug menace, said the governor. He urged all to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice shown by the younger Sahibzadas, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh. Earlier, health minister Dr Balbir Singh welcomed the governor and said the Punjab govt was committed to ensuring that children with special needs flourish at par with society. Referring to Thomas Edison, he said every child possessed unique abilities. "Such children are the special flowers of Rangla Punjab, and the govt is determined to recognise and promote their talent," said Dr Balbir Singh, while assuring support for the growth of Vaani School. Secretary, Punjab Child Welfare Council, Pritam Sandhu shared the details of the council's initiatives.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
US Pediatricians' New Covid-19 Shot Recommendations Differ From CDC Advice
New York: For the first time in 30 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics is substantially diverging from U.S. government vaccine recommendations. The group's new COVID-19 recommendations - released Tuesday - come amid a tumultuous year for public health, as vaccine skeptics have come into power in the new Trump administration and government guidance has become increasingly confusing. This isn't going to help, acknowledged Dr. James Campbell, vice chair of the AAP infectious disease committee. "It is going to be somewhat confusing. But our opinion is we need to make the right choices for children to protect them," he added. The AAP is strongly recommending COVID-19 shots for children ages 6 months to 2 years. Shots also are advised for older children if parents want their kids vaccinated, the AAP said. That differs from guidance established under US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which doesn't recommend the shots for healthy children of any age but says kids may get the shots in consultation with physicians. Children ages 6 months to 2 years are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and it was important that recommendations continue to emphasize the need for them to get vaccinated, said Campbell, a University of Maryland infectious diseases expert. Vaccinations also are recommended for older children who have chronic lung diseases or other conditions that put them at higher risk for severe disease, the AAP said. The 95-year-old Itasca, Illinois-based organization has issued vaccination recommendations for children since the 1930s. In 1995, it synced its advice with recommendations made by the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been a few small differences between AAP and CDC recommendations since then. For example, the AAP has advised that children get HPV vaccinations starting at age 9; the CDC says that's OK but has emphasized vaccinations at ages 11 and 12. But in 30 years, this is the first time the recommendations have differed "in a significant or substantial way," Campbell said. Until recently, the CDC - following recommendations by infectious disease experts - has been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. But in May, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. A few days later, the CDC issued language that healthy children may get the shots, but that there was no longer a "should" recommendation. The idea that healthy older kids may be able to skip COVID-19 boosters has been brewing for some time among public health experts. As the COVID-19 pandemic has waned, experts have increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older - who are among those most as risk for death and hospitalization. A CDC expert panel in June was set to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among the options the panel was considering was whether suggest shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated. But Kennedy bypassed the group, and also decided to dismiss the 17-member panel and appoint his own, smaller panel, that included vaccine skeptics. Kennedy also later excluded the AAP, the American Medical Association and other top medical organizations from working with the advisers to establish vaccination recommendations. Kennedy's new vaccine panel has yet to vote on COVID-19 shot recommendations. The panel did endorse continuing to recommend fall flu vaccinations, but also made a decision that led to another notable difference with the AAP. The new advisory panel voted that people should only get flu vaccines that are packaged as single doses and do not contain the preservative thimerosal. The AAP said there is no evidence of harm from the preservative, and recommended doctors use any licensed flu vaccine product that's appropriate for the patient.
