Doctors and Nurses aplenty, but patients still deprived of health care in India: Dr. Devi Shetty

Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Devi shetty of the Narayana Hrudayalaya has lamented the non inclusiveness of the health care facilities, heart care in particular, in the country at the symposium –“Well-being through integration of values-the sai way”, which was organized by the Sri satya Baba Organization as a part of the 85 th birthday celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai baba.

“Indians are three times more vulnerable to heart attacks as compared to Europeans, and increasingly youth are falling prey to heart diseases” said Dr Devi shetty. He expressed his unhappiness over the fact that though India produced the largest number of doctors and nurses, a majority of the population was devoid of access to heart care health facilities due to high cost and prevalence of archaic principles. Meanwhile he also stressed on preventive measures in heart care than relying on drugs. Dr Devi Shetty announced his ambitious plans for setting up 300-bed multi-speciality, cost effective hospitals where cardiac surgeries would be performed for Rs 60,000. The first such hospital would be ready in Mysore by February 2011 and 100 such hospitals all over the country are being planned.

Earlier, the symposium was formally inaugurated with lighting of the lamp and recitation of devotional hymns. “Well being is not for one individual, but the well being of all humans”, said Mr. Shrinivas, while enlightening the audience on the teachings of Bhagwan Shri Satya Baba. Prof. Jayashankaran, former Vice Chancellor of Kanchi University also shared his thoughts and experiences with Sri Satya Sai baba, while highlighting the significance of values in human life.