M A I N   N E W S

PGIMER golden jubilee celebrations begin
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 7
Year-long golden jubilee celebrations of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) kicked off here today amidst talk on the leading health institute’s glorious past and a promise for a better future. Not willing to sit on its laurels, the institute renewed vow that it would continue to provide high quality health care to the needy, especially those from the North India.

Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, and Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, were the guests of honour.

Appreciating the contribution made by the institute, Ahluwalia said the PGI enjoyed high reputation in the country. It was an institute with international standing. “Substantial government funding is needed in the 12th Five Year Plan to address the difficulties being faced. Both the Central and the state governments need to spend more on health. More medical institutes are needed as human resource in health care is the key issue,” he emphasised.

The dearth of medical education facilities in the country has led to mushrooming of quacks. While 70 per cent of patients seek medical treatment from the private sector, census data of 2001 showed that almost half of those claiming to be allopathic doctors did not have even secondary level education, said Ahluwalia. Highlighting the need to develop human resources in the health sector, he said monetary investment alone would not make much difference. The north is deficient as far as the medical facilities are concerned.

Bansal remarked that he had seen the PGI gain from strength to strength. Despite pressure, the attitude of the medical fraternity had always been to serve the humanity with compassion. Stressing on the need of an advanced geriatric Centre, Bansal said the PGI had always served the needy.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Health Minister, could not attend the function as he reportedly was indisposed.

Elaborating on the institute’s achievements during the past 50 years, Prof Yogesh Chawla, Director, PGIMER, said “The faculty of the PGIMER, in addition to providing the best patient care and medical education, actively pursues medical research. More than 771 research papers were presented last year,” he said.

Prof SK Jindal informed that commemorative activities like release of postal stamp, alumni meet, scientific conferences, annual research week-end, post-doctoral fellowships for clinical scientists, upgradation of central research facility and orations were conducted.

Former directors of PGIMER — Prof IC Pathak, Dr BK Sharma, Dr SK Sharma and KK Talwar — were felicitated.

A documentary on the PGIMER was shown to the audience and souvenirs were released by Ahluwalia.

Professor Amod Gupta, Dean PGI, delivered the vote of thanks.

Boost for health sector likely in 12th Plan
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 7
As the Planning Commission gives final shape to the 12th Five Year Plan, government spending on the health care sector is expected to increase substantially.

Against the government’s present contribution in the health sector (1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product), the 12th Plan will see government spending increase to 2 per cent of the GDP.

This was revealed by the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, while delivering his keynote address during the golden jubilee celebrations of the PGI here today.

“The government should be playing an active role in the health sector irrespective of the economic conditions. As against the USA, which in spite of the economic downturn, spends over 15 per cent of the GDP on health, India’s spending on the health sector is just 4 per cent of the GDP.

“This includes a 3 per cent contribution from the private sector and just 1 per cent is the government contribution. But the 12th Plan will see the largest growth in government expenditure in this sector,” he said.

Talking to mediapersons later, the deputy chairman of Planning Commission also said that focus in the 12th Five Year Plan is on providing affordable health care.

“Health is a state subject and I am in favour of the Central government providing assistance by giving a lot of flexibility to the state governments. Let different state governments try and do it in the best way possible,” he said.

He also said that though he was aware of a proposal to set up a tertiary care hospital — on the lines of the PGI — in Mullanpur by the Punjab Government, it had not yet come to the Planning Commission. “If we receive such a proposal, we will approve it,” he said.

Asked about the expected growth rate in GDP this fiscal, Ahluwalia said that initially they were expecting the growth to be around 7.5 per cent for this year at the time of finalisation of the Budget.

“But I think the growth rate has slowed down, not only in India but everywhere. With a bit of luck, we can meet the growth somewhere between 6.5 and 7 per cent, which will be a very good performance in a situation where the whole global economy is badly hit,” he said.