A Healthy Life Style

    A Healthy life Style

A healty lifestyle is a Individual efforts cannot clear the entire problem of the country. The health awareness campaign needs to be taken on a national level. Rather than the government sector blaming the private sector for being costly we need to close ranks. Means the government, NGOs and the private sector must work hand-in-hand and have a common national program and decide in the next ten years how we can deliver healthcare services to all the sections of the people.

Being the Chairman and Managing Director of Medanta, I interact with aplenty private providers who are interested in making efforts. But there is lack of comprehensive program where they can participate. There is a divide between or a trust deficit and that is not helping anybody. Government is the one who has to take the leadership and make a comprehensive program with the private players and NGOs on board. Somebody has to take the lead.

What should be the role of government and private hospitals in making the nation heart healthy?

Scientific studies w known that There is no system of healthcare awareness in our country so far. We intervene when the disease has occurred. Government and the private sector should get together and launch a full campaign for every disease – diabetes, cancer, etc – it will make a huge difference. We need to launch a major campaign in India to involve all the stakeholders of healthcare.

We will have to try to help our country otherwise we will be drifting along like a banana republic and watch people get sicker and sicker. Strong media exposure will help to promote the required changes. Not to forget slogans have limited response. There has to be detailed awareness campaigns. Not just launch a campaign but it has to be sustained to have an impact.

 What should the people do to lower the incidences of heart disease in the country?

Scientist research say We need to have a cultural mindset change – in India every occasion is celebrated with sweets and oily foods. Be it marriage, engagement, the birth of a new baby, anything, we always indulge in mithais, or other sweetened food. Add to it, we are of lazy nature and we do not indulge in any form of physical activity.

We depend on hired help. If these continue, how will we make improvement? We need to bring in simple lifestyles changes to save people from developing further heart diseases.

 Children today are born with congenital heart problems. Why do you think it is happening and how can this be solved?

Scientific studies about Maternal health during the different trimesters of pregnancy must ensure that the expecting mothers are getting adequate nutrition. Pregnant women should be checked for high blood pressure, high blood sugar and any kidney problem that they can be developing. It is highly important to keep a tab on the maternal health. That is the best we can do.

Apart from some genetic factors, we can avoid the occurrence of congenital heart disease in children if we follow these small rules. Early genetic tests during pregnancy will also serve the purpose.