National Doctors’ Day: May every day be yours!

Not surprisingly, patients come to India for treatment from faraway countries. (Image Credits: Pixabay)

By Alok Malik

It is a matter of national pride that India has achieved the World Health Organization recommended doctor-to-population ratio of 1:1,000, also called the “Golden Finishing Line”.

We have not only fulfilled this mandate, also surpassed the ratio by providing 1 doctor for every 834 persons, as per the last official statement by the Ministry of Health.

India had 13,08,009 allopathic doctors registered with the state medical councils and the National Medical Commission (NMC) as of June 2022.

Bringing good repute to the nation

Indian doctors have provided yeoman service in the prevention and treatment of several communicable and non-communicable diseases faced by our huge population. Providing world-class care to patients within the country, Indian doctors have built a reputation for excellence all around the world.

Not surprisingly, patients come to India for treatment from faraway countries. So much so that India has become the world’s medical tourism capital.

What is also interesting is the fact that physicians of Indian origin have contributed to the medical ecosystem in different ways.

For example, doctors from AIIMS detected the most common HPV virus types that claim tens of thousands of lives every year; Ophthalmologists in Chennai, discovered for the first time in the world, a glue technology to fix intraocular lens with fibrin glue; Doctors in Bangalore collaborated with research teams in Canada to create a five-in-one poly pill to reduce the incidence of coronary disease and stroke; One of Mumbai’s most innovative neurosurgeons developed a procedure that has become the global standard for treatment of basilar invagination.

Although these are just a few examples, a feature in the Sunday Guardian highlighted the fact that India, once a nation known for its snake charmers, is now on the world map for its doctors, and the quality of healthcare services it offers.

Globally sought-after service

Increasingly, Indian doctors are being recognised for their proficiency, experience and wide exposure. They are invited to travel and conduct health camps in Iraq, countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Africa. They treat patients with diseases ranging from coronary disease & stroke to pulmonary disorders, cancer, skin diseases, liver and kidney diseases, viral and bacterial infections and a host of other medical conditions, Indian doctors prove their mettle, day in and day out within the nation’s boundaries and across it.

Quality medical education, advanced medical techniques, state-of-the-art facilities, and support from the pharmaceutical industry have strengthened the capabilities of Indian doctors.

Today, as a grateful nation celebrates National Doctor’s Day, we come together to wish all our medical practitioners health and happiness, every day of the year!

(The author is President and Business Head – India Formulations for Glenmark. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)