New Delhi: Two Padma Shri awardeees, Dr A Marthanda Pillai and Dr KK Aggarwal were today sworn in as Indian Medical Association's (IMA) President and Secretary General respectively.
Pilai, a leading neuro surgeon, and Dr Aggarwal who is a physician and cardiologist, are both known for their dedication towards making healthcare more accessible to all specially the economically backward sections of the society.
Dr Aggarwal for over two decades has been serving the society through his NGO, Heart Care Foundation of India and Dr Pillai has performed thousands of free brain and spinal operations for patients, saving thousands of lives.
"I deem it a great privlege to be elected as the National President of IMA. I strongly believe that healthcare should be acknowledged as a fundamental right for every citizen and we at IMA will strive to make it more accessible for all in the coming years," said Dr Pillai.
Adding to this, Dr Aggarwal who is also the President of Heart Care Foundation of India said, "It is a great honour to accept the resposibility of leading such a great association. Our aim over the next two years will be to make IMA more transparent, efficient and corruption free. Towards this endeavour we will be drafting an ethical code of conduct for doctors."
The IMA will also launch a total of 365 new initiatives for the welfare of the people this year.
Some key programs, which will be launched, include IMA e-connect, a project aimed at digitally connecting over 2 lakhs members every day, IMA Rise and Shine: A program to provide soft skills training to medical doctors across the country, IMA age friendly clinics, IMA National Pension Scheme and Jiska Koi Nahi Uska IMA, which is aimed at making healthcare more accessible for all.
Also to address the financial problems of retired doctors, a National Pension Scheme will be launched along with Trauma Care scheme as a part of which Trauma Care committees will be formed to initiate first aid centres and rapid transport facilities at every 15 to 50 KM along highways with public and private trauma care hospitals.
IMA will also join hands with Sameer Malik of Heart Care Foundation Fund, an initative by Heart Care Foundation to provide free surgeries to young girls suffering from congenital heart disease and otherwise cannot afford surgery.
Apart from that IMA will adopt?one village each to make it healthy and disease free. Also, in order to reduce the gap between planning and execution, IMA will appoint project directors ever year for governmental national health programs who will coordinate with the Government at state levels on a regular basis.
