Health sector has to keep pace with countrys development: Ramadoss

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday said that the health sector has to keep up with the requirements of the developing nation.

New Delhi, July 17 : Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday said that the health sector has to keep up with the requirements of the developing nation.

In his opening remarks at the Third Meeting of the Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Ramadoss said: "The country is developing at a scorching pace. The health sector has to keep up with the requirements of the working class. The expectations of the population from the health services have to be fulfilled."

"The quality of service, the range of services in maternal and childcare as well as general curative and preventive services all need immediate attention," he added.

The NRHM has now completed two years and during this time the health sector in the country has seen far reaching changes, he said.

A series of initiatives covering areas of infrastructure, manpower, logistics, management, decentralisation and community participation have been launched.

Ramadoss said: "The process of change is a gradual one and it is necessary to move cautiously, taking the various stakeholders into account."

Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi were present at the meeting.

The NRHM, a flagship programme of the Health Ministry, aims to provide accessible, affordable, accountable, effective and reliable primary health care facilities.

The Mission seeks to hand over the planning, execution and evaluation of the health programmes with the community based organisations.

The Mission was formally launched in April, 2005.

ANI