FIT INDIA Conclave: Healthcare Response During the Pandemic

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Mumbai, June 28, 2020: The Union Minister of Science & Technology, Health, and Family Welfare and Earth Science – Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the ‘coronavirus can be fought with the help of the general public. People can help the government very easily by following hygiene standards and practising the norms of social distancing’. Dr Harsh Vardhan was speaking after inaugurating the Third Edition of the FIT INDIA Conclave hosted by the Founder and Chairperson of MedscapeIndia – Dr Sunita Dube. In his keynote address, the Minister said the Centre has dramatically improved the healthcare delivery system in the country over the past six years under the leadership of Narendra Modi. He added that with WHO’s support, the Centre also has a comprehensive surveillance programme. He threw light on the fact that India has been successfully able to deal with viruses like smallpox and hepatitis, and that Ebola was stopped from entering the country at the very initial stage. He added that in a similar manner the Centre has been taking a lot of measures in order to combat the coronavirus.

He informed the Committee that in the past three months, 17 meetings have been conducted in order to discuss the situation and the solution in order to deal with COVID-19. As the event was around Doctor’s Day, he remembered the iconic personality – Dr Bindan Chandra Roy, who has been an inspiration not only to the political members but also to the medical community. He applauded Dr Sunita for her commendable work in all her campaigns like Aanokhe Pal, Save the Girl Child, and the FIT INDIA movement which is actually the need of the hour for our country. He also said that he has been following Dr Dube’s work and is very proud of the way she carries out all her initiatives.  He thanked all the healthcare warriors for supporting the government and the fight against the virus with sheer determination and courage.

The Minister of Health, Government of Maharashtra – Rajesh Tope also graced the event and thanked all the healthcare warriors for playing their role in the fight against COVID-19. He very proudly mentioned that people with a lot of medical complexities like ‘a 99-year-old woman and a 92-year-old senior citizen’ have been treated by healthcare warriors. He mentioned that the Maharashtra Government will always back the medical fraternity and ensured that the healthy relationship of the Government of Maharashtra and doctors will always continue. Addressing Dr Sunita Dube and her Medscape India team he said: “We are always there to support you in all the social and mental and financial aspects, the Maharashtra Government will always be there strongly backing you during tough times.”

A panel of doctors which included Padma Shri Awardees like Dr Shashank Joshi, Dr Mohsin Wali, and Dr Yash Gulati along with Dr Anjali Chabbria later joined Dr Sunita Dube in order to discuss the mental and physical issues faced by the people during these times. This year, the Conclave threw a spotlight on cutting-edge solutions, healthcare practices, case studies, patient-centric, data-driven, and research collaboration issues faced by the medical fraternity and the general public.

The FIT INDIA Movement (Nirogi Bharat Abhiyan) is a voluntary movement by doctors and like-minded individuals with one motive – Serving Society. In 2018, it was the first time with the government’s support, that doctors took a pledge to maintain their fitness levels and remain healthy and in turn inspire their patients to be healthy and fit. This movement was initiated by MD, Radiologist, and Founder of MedscapeIndia, Dr Sunita Dube.