Bharatiya Janata Party's national president and Union Health Minister, Jagat Prakash Nadda, is set for a significant engagement with the medical community in Kolkata. He will hold an interactive session with hundreds of doctors in the city on Thursday, marking a focused outreach to healthcare professionals in West Bengal.
Overwhelming Response from Medical Community
The event, scheduled near Science City, has seen an unexpectedly high registration. While initial plans aimed for an interaction with around 250 doctors, the final count is likely to be nearly 800 medical professionals. This overwhelming response highlights the keen interest within the community to engage with the central leadership on health issues. This marks Nadda's first separate platform meeting with doctors from the state, distinct from his previous interactions with party workers and intellectuals in Bengal.
Agenda: Infrastructure, Schemes, and Doctor Safety
The core of the discussions will revolve around the state's healthcare infrastructure. According to Indranil Khan, the state president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Nadda aims to identify the existing lacunae. "Health is a state subject," Khan noted, "but he will take notes and try to address the issues as much as possible." A key point of review will be the effective utilization of central funds, including a grant of over Rs 151 crore released last year for boosting diagnostic infrastructure at primary healthcare facilities.
The session will also delve into the implementation of the Centre's flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme and the state government's approach towards it. Critical issues like the safety and security of doctors, referencing incidents such as the one at RG Kar Medical College, and concerns regarding fake medicines and vaccines are also slated for discussion.
Broader Political and Organizational Context
Parallel to the doctor's meet, Nadda's visit includes closed-door meetings with key state BJP functionaries and party workers to evaluate the organizational preparedness. The medical dialogue, however, stands out as a direct public-facing engagement. Doctors like oncologist Sharadwat Mukherjee have indicated they plan to raise the issue of the "collapsing health system" in the state while listening to the Union Minister's message. This interaction represents a strategic effort by the BJP to connect with a vital professional group and highlight the Centre's role and initiatives in the health sector, which remains a state subject.
