India needs more doctors than ever before: Harsh Vardhan

NEW DELHI: Noting that doctor-to-population ratio in the country is much less than the standard prescribed by the WHO, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said India needs more doctors now than ever before.

"India needs more doctors now more than ever before. Building healthy lives would enable us realise the demographic dividend that is promised from having a youthful population," he said in a statement on the eve of National Doctors' Day.

The dictum that "prevention is better than cure" will be his guiding force, Vardhan said, adding that it will be his duty to lower the country's disease burden by promoting healthy lifestyle which includes consuming wholesome food and exercising.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed me to effect complete transformation of our health sector through research, innovation and the latest technology," he said. He also asked the medical community to introspect, saying the image of the doctor has somewhat fallen in the public perception. "New positivity need to be injected in our attitude to correct this, as, it is not desirable to have a country without faith in its doctors....So, let us treat this Doctors' Day as a day for renewing our pledge," Vardhan said.