India Needs Reliable Data on Basic Healthcare
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Founder and Chair of L.V. Prasad Eye Institute G.N. Rao is universally known for his contribution to the introduction of quality and affordable eye care in India. Apart from his work in ophthalmology, Dr. Rao is well-known for his innovative ideas on healthcare in general and his efforts to make healthcare affordable.
An alumnus of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr. Rao received the Padma Sri in 2002.
Dr. Rao returned to India from studies and employment in the US and started the L.V. Prasad Eye Hospital in 1986, at a time when eye donation was still taboo corneal transplantation believed to be alien to Indians. An author of over 250 papers in national and international journals, Dr. Rao is also president of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness.
He spoke to M. Sai Gopal about the country’s healthcare sector, medical education and eye care.
What can be done to improve healthcare in India?
There is a need for healthcare providers, especially policy-makers, to concentrate on generating reliable data on basic healthcare indicators. Barring a few individual studies here and there, we have not been able to take up concerted efforts for a fool-proof epidemiological study of every aspect of health. We have to track all these parameters for another decade so that India has reliable data to help our policy-makers take decisions.
Source: The Hindu (link opens in a new window)
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