Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
With Inputs from Media Release
Mangalore, Oct 3: It was a moment of pride for Mangaloreans when Karnataka health minister U T Khadar, who is also MLA of Ullal constituency, became the only minister from India to be invited to address the Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Cape Town, South Africa, organized by World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking at the symposium, Khadar presented Karnataka's strides in rural health, especially on the state's efforts to ban gutka, implementation of medical schemes and programmes, medical assistance in rural health, and so on. The four-day event saw researchers, policy makers and implementers from around the world participate and share ideas and views on different aspects of health care systems.
In his address, Khadar stressed that inventions should help people and make a difference to their lives.
"Health insurance is revolutionary in nature. But insurance companies have benefited more from this than the patients. Insurance companies have not been people friendly. Insurance policies have to be area-specific in nature. Every region should have unique policies adhering to the needs of its people. Government should help the insurance companies for the disbursement of compensation directly in hospitals. Innovations should not take place for name sake. They should benefit people," he added.
Khadar who started the speech with Indian greetings also spoke a few words in Kannada.
He said he was happy to visit and attend the conference in the land of Nelson Mandela who is revered in India. He paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi who lived and started his Satyagraha from South Africa.
He lauded South Africa for its contribution to the medical science. He remembered South Africa as the country which conducted the first heart transplant surgery. He also called the representative of people from the world to have heart to heart conversation.