Gadkari says Indian doctors get respect world over, pitches for affordable medical treatment

Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said the country's doctors command respect the world over and maintained that out of 10 best physicians in the UK and the USA, six were of Indian origin.

He said affordable medical treatment and ensuring availability of cheap medicines were the need of the hour.

Gadkari was addressing a national conference of the Association of Cutaneous Surgeons here.

The association is a premier organization in the country devoted to promotion and advancement of knowledge and skills in the field of surgical and aesthetic dermatology.

The Union minister praised Indian doctors and said they command respect the world over.

Gadkari said out of 10 best doctors in the UK and the USA, 6 were from India.

The Lok Sabha MP from Nagpur underlined the need to increase the number of medical colleges and AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) campuses in the country in view of increasing demand for them.

Gadkari said the country needs more physicians and pitched for increasing the retirement age of government doctors to bridge the demand-supply gap.

The veteran politician called for public-private partnership in medical sciences and emphasized on providing qualitative education in the key field.

The Union minister said there is tremendous potential for research in medical sciences.

"We need innovative approach with quality and investment from private and government entities in the health sector," he said.

Gadkari asked the doctors attending the conference to focus on how affordable medical treatment can be made available to the poor.

"Affordable treatment and affordable medicines were the need of the hour," he said.