Medical Professionals Call for Healthcare as Fundamental Right at National Conference

Hyderabad — Healthcare must be recognized as a fundamental right rather than a charitable service, medical professionals and public health specialists emphasized at the 13th National Conference of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development.

The gathering took place on Saturday at the Dr. G.K. Kirloskar Hall in the IMA Building at Koti, with IDPD National President Dr. Arun Mitra leading the opening proceedings. The event drew prominent figures including Telangana Additional Director of Medical Education Dr. Ramadevi and renowned cardiologist Prof. K. Srinath Reddy.

Delivering remarks on the conference theme "Modernization of Healthcare Services – Equitable Healthcare for All," Prof. Srinath Reddy pointed to government failures in prioritizing health and education. He noted that 30 to 40 crore individuals across India continue to lack access to essential healthcare, while global public health faces mounting threats from warfare, violence, and deepening inequality.

The cardiologist also raised alarm over more than 100 million landmines scattered across 58 countries and flagged the concentration of nuclear arsenals among select nations as a threat to world peace and human survival.

Rural Healthcare Gaps Remain Stark

Dr. Ramadevi framed healthcare delivery as fundamentally a matter of social responsibility, urging medical practitioners to approach patient care with compassion and empathy. She outlined government initiatives aimed at expanding healthcare access in rural communities.

According to IDPD Senior Advisor Amarjeeth Kaur, only a limited portion of India's population receives medical care through government facilities. She underscored that approximately 700 million people in rural areas still lack access to basic medical services. Kaur described deaths resulting from child malnutrition as deeply troubling and condemned what she characterized as governmental apathy toward this crisis.

Former MP Aziz criticized the scarcity of substantive public health deliberation in legislative bodies, calling it deplorable. Senior CPI leader Dr. K. Narayana similarly attributed healthcare and education sector decline to government neglect.

Peace and Justice Essential to Healthcare Equity

Multiple speakers, including Dr. Krishna Reddy, Dr. K. Rajani, Prof. Dr. Ramakishan, Dr. M. Bharath, Dr. J. Madhavi, Dr. Arif Ahmed, Prof. Dr. Srinivas, Prof. Dr. Boori Ranga Reddy, and Dr. Ch. Prabhavathi, cautioned against diverting healthcare resources toward military spending and weapons development.

The consensus among participants was that achieving equitable healthcare requires commitment to peace, disarmament initiatives, and broader social justice efforts.