Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has called upon the people to regularly practice yoga and meditation and return to traditional food habits to beat the stress caused by modern lifestyle and prevent the incidence of non-communicable diseases.

Launching the Society of Coronary Surgeons (SCS) in Hyderabad in virtual mode, the Vice President pointed out that the scientific community has concluded that inappropriate lifestyle was the major cause for the raise in cardio-vascular diseases (CVDs). “Yoga relieves one of stress and keeps diseases at bay. Hence, yoga must become part of everyone’s daily routine,” he added.

The Vice President urged the members of SCS to focus on the disease burden in rural areas. A majority of the people live in rural areas and are equally exposed to the risk factors of CVDs.

He urged the private sector to join hands with the government to bring the latest healthcare diagnostic and treatment facilities to the rural areas at affordable cost through public-private partnerships.

With a majority of the people meeting their medical costs through out-of-pocket expenses, the Vice President said there was a huge need to step up insurance coverage.

He lauded Ayushman Bharat, the flagship programme of the government of India, as a truly praiseworthy initiative that seeks to provide health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families.

In this regard, the VP appealed to the medical fraternity to ensure that affordable healthcare is made available to all and treatment costs are brought down.

Commending the selfless and remarkable service being rendered by the medical, paramedical and other healthcare personnel ever since the pandemic broke out, he expressed happiness that an indigenous vaccine would be launched soon.

“I am happy to note that we are on the verge of releasing our own indigenous Covid-19 vaccine soon,” he said.

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