Noida (UP), Mar 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday stressed the crucial role of doctors and hospitals in ensuring affordable and reliable healthcare, stating that a doctor’s behaviour and the trust established with patients often help cure “half the illness” even before medicines take effect.
Speaking at the inauguration of the KDSG Super Speciality Hospital in Greater Noida, founded by former India cricket captain Kapil Dev and entrepreneur Sunil Kumar Gupta, the chief minister highlighted that healthcare services must be accessible, affordable and trustworthy for the common person.
He added that the establishment of the hospital in the Dadri Assembly constituency of Gautam Buddh Nagar district would benefit not only locals but also people from across the National Capital Region.
The chief minister noted that healthcare is vital for every individual, and governments alone cannot meet the growing demand for quality medical facilities without participation from the private sector. “Every citizen in a prosperous nation has the right to good healthcare. While the government is making efforts, participation of the private sector is necessary to ensure better medical facilities for everyone,” he said.
Adityanath highlighted the impact of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it the country’s first universal health coverage initiative.
He mentioned that over 60 crore people across India are now covered under the scheme, with Uttar Pradesh leading the country in issuing over 5.6 crore “golden cards” to eligible beneficiaries. Under the programme, eligible citizens can avail of cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh annually at government and empanelled hospitals, he added.
Adityanath emphasised that healthcare providers should ensure services that are “correct, affordable and trustworthy”. “When a patient approaches a doctor, he does so with trust. A doctor’s behaviour can cure half the illness. The advice given by the doctor must be correct and accessible for the patient,” he said.
The chief minister said the hospital would be run in collaboration with the DY Patil Group, an education and healthcare institution based in Maharashtra, whose experience would benefit residents of Gautam Buddh Nagar and neighbouring districts.
Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh has also significantly expanded its medical education infrastructure. “Before 2017, only 17 medical colleges were operational in the state. Today, we have about 81 medical colleges and are close to achieving the goal of ‘one district, one medical college’ across all 75 districts,” he said.
He invited the KDSG group to consider investing in medical education as well, saying such initiatives would help train medical professionals and strengthen healthcare delivery.
He also announced that besides beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat, the state government has extended a Rs 5 lakh cashless health insurance cover to teachers, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, Shiksha Mitras, instructors and cooks working in the basic education system.
Adityanath informed that those not covered under Ayushman Bharat can receive assistance through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, adding that about Rs 1,300 crore had been provided in the past year alone to help patients access treatment in hospitals across the state.
The chief minister assured full support from the state government for further investments by the group in sectors such as healthcare and education. PTI KIS MPL MPL
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