Even as India is increasingly gaining recognition abroad as a quality healthcare destination, NRI businessman S.P. Hinduja has mooted a partnership between the business and medical communities to first make health services affordable to the majority of the country's population.

"The word care is an integral part of healthcare and we have to take care to ensure that medicines are not out of reach of the majority of population," he said, speaking at the ongoing 6th Asian Conference of Neurological surgeons organised by Hinduja hospital here on January 27, 2006.

Noting that the country had made significant progress in the medical field and had reached a stage where patients come from abroad for first-class medical care, he said such care should not be restricted to a few and be made available throughout the country.

"We must still strive to make this level of service available throughout the country," he said, asking business houses and doctors to "take over from politicians" in making healthcare for all a reality.

Hinduja also felt that India needs to draw NRIs and western experts to continue the progress it has achieved in health and education and "where we need help, we should utilise the expertise and resources of neurosurgeons of Asian heritage in the US, UK and Europe."

(The Economic Times)