Source ForPressRelease.com

The 15th World Rural Health Conference 2018, is to be held in India for the first time ever. The conference will take place from ​​26th to 29th April 2018 at New Delhi. The inauguration of the mega event will be done by the Honorable Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu. Foreign delegates and medical fraternity from over 40 countries are expected in thousands to participate in the four day-long conference.



“This initiative aims to involve trainees and professionals from all backgrounds with an interesting rural and primary care improvements. The rural-urban divide across the globe is still a consistent feature which poses a major challenge to the nationwide provision of health services. This annual conference is being organized in the background of aspiration for achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDG3). The health goal is to ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all ages especially in rural and remote areas.” Says Dr John Wynn, chairperson, Rural WONCA.



Workshops will be conducted to discuss the strategies to improve and innovate the primary rural healthcare structure. Medical fraternities will make rural health visits every day along with discussions on scientific programs.



“Improving the primary health structure in rural India has become a serious concern to focus, with government of India also eagerly participating in framing researches and methods for the betterment of health in the country. Over 70% of the Indian population resides in the rural and the primary healthcare infrastructure needs amendments to improve and develop the overall health of the population. In comparison to other developed countries, until now less focus was provided to healthcare sector. On one hand where countries like US, UK spend around 15% of their GDP on health, on the other hand, India spent only 1.3% of the GDP on health. Unless and until this percentage is increased, health is made as a priority sector and is made the fundamental rights of the citizen, health will not improve.” Says Dr Raman Kumar, Organising Chairman and National President, AFPI.



Rural health ideathon invites ideas, concepts, projects, innovative techniques and research to discuss the challenges and solutions in rural healthcare for the betterment of Universal health coverage. International short film and Arts festival on rural health that includes short films, abstracts, documentary, animations and videos will be the highlight of the 2nd day of the event. The selected science abstracts will also be published in the journal of Family Medicine and Primary care.



“There is no dearth of doctors in the rural areas, but the fact is that around 60,000 MBBS doctors pass out every year and the vacancies in the Primary health centers is not even 1700. Effective utilization and better policy making can help better management of the remaining doctors in the rural sub-centers as well. Lack of Government medical colleges in rural areas may be one of the most important factors hindering the holistically betterment of rural healthcare. With over 200 pharmaceutical companies registered in India, still patients have to be dependent on the government sector for free health medicines. Government policies should be molded such that at least the medicines are available at subsidized costs not only in government centers but private as well.” Says Dr Ankit Om, State President, AFPI, New Delhi.



AFPI is an academy working for over 10 years throughout the world to impart health knowledge to all. This 15th WRHC has been organized by AFPI in association with WONCA rural health.