The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rosaiah decides to `hear out' health officials

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 24, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rosaiah decides to `hear out' health officials

Special Correspondent

Stays on to attend workshop after inauguration

HYDERABAD: Ministers and VVIPs, who inaugurate workshops and seminars, usually disappear in a trice after giving the customary address.

However, this was not the case with the Health Minister, K. Rosaiah, on Tuesday when he inaugurated a two-day workshop on "Enhancing access to quality healthcare: moving from policy to action."

Senior health officials are attending the workshop being organised by State Health Department.

He not only did some plain speaking during its inaugural but decided to stay put for all the sessions `to hear' what the officials say to enable the Government to come out with a plan of action to improve delivery of health services.

The Minister told the officials not to treat the workshop as a `ceremonial' event with an `everything-is-ok' attitude.

"Let us discuss frankly with an open mind and take decisions," he said. Questions such as whether minimum health facilities were being provided at the Primary Health Centres and how conditions were in the area and teaching hospitals, needed to be addressed. There was nothing wrong in discussing facts.

The workshop, among others things, is focussing on integrated disease surveillance, infant and maternal health, medical education, Indian medicine, HIV/AIDS, TB and towards a holistic action plan for tribal areas.

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