President of India Releases Briefing Kits for Legislators on Health Related Issues Urges Legislators to Put Forth Solutions for Health Related Issues

The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil released briefing kits for legislators at Rashtrapati Bhavan today, on the National Rural Mission, Age at Marriage and Sex Selection. The Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IAPPD) has brought out these kits. The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss and some Members of Parliament and members of State Legislatures were present. These kits help legislators orient themselves about issues on population and development.

Speaking to the legislators, the President urged them to not only highlight health related issues in legislatures, but also to put forth solutions. Smt. Patil said she was closely associated with the IAPPD, which she described as useful and active organisation. The President said she has closely studied the 'ASHA' scheme of the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare and referred to a scheme started by a private doctor in Purandar Taluka of Pune District of Maharashtra in which, women villagers from different communities who have studied till middle school are given training in the local language, for providing basic medical help to villagers. Trained doctors are always available to these women on walky-talkies in case they need advice in serious cases for which even trained doctors can also be sent to attend to the patient. In addition to providing this basic medical help, these women as a value addition, also work on social issues such as urging mothers to send their children to school. As a result school drop out rates have gone down and women have become more vocal at local panchayat meetings on issues affecting them such as wife beating etc. The overall effect has been an improvement in the social atmosphere and resolution of village problems. The President said, "This is what India needs." Smt. Patil urged the legislators present, to study this scheme and also suggested that the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry could think of ways in which this scheme could be fitted into 'ASHA'. She observed that while as the Governor of Rajasthan, she had discussed the matter with the State Government and the scheme had been started as a pilot project in a few districts.