With the United Progressive Alliance's Common Minimum Programme focussing on development in rural areas, the government on Saturday said it would soon launch a scheme involving private doctors and NGOs to improve healthcare in villages.
"The government would soon announce a scheme to improve rural health in the near future as about 75% of the country's health professionals and infrastructure is concentrated in major cities," Secretary (Family Welfare) P K Hota told reporters in Delhi.
The proposed scheme titled 'Hope' would engage government and private doctors and NGOs to improve healthcare services across the country, he told a two-day workshop for 'Training of Trainers' on implementation of the project 'Aao Gaon Chalen' (Let's go to the villages).
The scheme would aim at providing basic minimum healthcare facilities to people in remote areas. The government has made specific allocations for its implementation and sought help from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to fulfill the task, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare P Laxmi said.
"Since, no single organisation can possibly address diversified health needs of the country, contribution is needed from multiple partners from both public and private sector," she said.
Medical practitioners from across the country had gathered in Delhi to update themselves on various aspects of providing better healthcare services, especially in rural areas.
