The last few decades have witnessed a proliferation in the privatisation and corporatisation in healthcare, and with the increasing promotion of health tourism, healthcare and health services have become an industry, said V.Shanta, Chairperson, Cancer Institute (WIA).
“Medicine is the art of healing. With the proliferation in scientific knowledge and advances in sophisticated technology, it became art and science, and gradually over the years, science and art. Today, the art component is invisible. Health service has become an industry,” she said while addressing “WomenCon”, a conference focused on the theme ‘PRESSforPROGRESS’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Indian Women Network (IWN) Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Shanta added, “As a committed voluntary, charitable non-profit institution, where 60% of patients seeking treatment are treated totally free or their bills are being heavily subsidised, it is a balancing act that we are involved in to see if organisations like ours can provide state-of-the art treatment to one and all irrespective of social or economic divide, and still survive and keep pace with progress. In meeting this challenge, we look forward to the IWN of the CII for their support.”
‘Say no to dowry’
Santhosh Babu, chairman and managing director of Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd, Government of Tamil Nadu, said that women should say no to dowry and also be economically independent to be empowered. “Speak to every woman who is not going to school and take them out to study,” Mr. Santhosh advised the women present at the session.
Gowri Kailasam, chairwoman, Indian Women Network (IWN) Tamil Nadu and President of Rane Madras Limited, said that the IWN is reaching out to women at a very young age and helping them shape into future leaders. “We are also working on a lot of policy-related issues,” she added.
