Shimla: India’s healthcare sector has witnessed significant transformation in recent years under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the Central Government introducing several landmark initiatives to make quality healthcare more accessible, affordable and inclusive. The expansion of healthcare infrastructure, wider health insurance coverage, strengthening of primary healthcare services and integration of digital technologies have significantly improved healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
This was stated by Governor Kavinder Gupta while addressing the 38th annual conference of the North Zone Ophthalmological Society (NZOS) and the annual meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Ophthalmological Society at Palampur in Kangra district, today. He said the ongoing transformation in the healthcare sector was not merely about expanding medical facilities, but about ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare and placing the well-being of citizens at the centre of the development process.
The Governor said that initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission were playing a significant role in strengthening the healthcare ecosystem and extending affordable medical services to the last mile.
Welcoming the addition of 320 postgraduate medical seats in Himachal Pradesh, supported by an allocation of Rs 415 crore by the Central Government, the Governor expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the initiative would strengthen medical education, enhance the availability of specialist doctors and further improve healthcare services in the State.
Emphasising the importance of eye care, Kavinder Gupta said that protecting eyesight and preventing avoidable blindness was not merely a professional responsibility of the medical fraternity but also a noble service to humanity. He observed that advances in diagnostic techniques, innovative surgical procedures, retinal treatments and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, were opening new avenues for the early detection and treatment of eye diseases.
The Governor appreciated the contributions of doctors, healthcare workers, organisers and other stakeholders associated with the conference and extended his best wishes to all participating ophthalmologists, scientists, researchers, young doctors and delegates.
