“Today, India is undertaking a transformative journey, one that looks at illness to wellness from a completely new prism. As we delve into the significance of health and hygiene, let us acknowledge India’s remarkable evolution in this realm. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a doctor to population ratio of 1:1000, we have achieved a ratio of 1:900 which is an improvement over the guidelines. Investing in health and hygiene is not just a moral imperative, it is an economic necessity”, said Bhubaneswar Kalita, Chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, and Family Welfare at ASSOCHAM’s 2nd Awareness Summit on Illness to Wellness.

“The government has increased the number of medical colleges, and we will have one medical college in every district and shortage of doctors in rural areas will soon be a thing of the past”, he added.

Delivering the welcome address, Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM National CSR Council said, “This initiative was launched in 2014 with the belief that we have the scientific knowledge to create a world in which most of the diseases could be either eliminated or controlled by preventive healthcare awareness. We are driven by a commitment to promote health and wellness for all with a focus on empowerment, education, collaboration and sustainable impact. Over the years we have endeavoured to maximise outreach and impact, from organising camps and awareness campaigns on a slew of critical ailments, to holding regular webinars on key health developments with the overarching objective of providing remedies and motivation.”

Prof. (Dr) Anil Agarwal, Medical Director, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education Research, Government of NCT of Delhi, New Delhi in his address said, “Reaching out to school children is a good approach as the younger you start the more ingrained will the awareness be. Imparting basic life-saving skills to students in schools and colleges will be very effective in combating sudden death.”