Healthcare, education beyond common man’s reach: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said accessibility and affordability of healthcare and education were the need of the hour as both are currently out of the reach and financial capacity of citizens.

Speaking after inaugurating Madhav Srishti Arogya Kendra set up by philanthropic organisation ‘Guruji Seva Nyas’ for affordable treatment of cancer, the RSS chief also stressed on ‘dharma’, which unites and uplifts society, rather than “technical and formal terms” like corporate social responsibility (CSR).

“Good healthcare and education facilities have become a necessity for every person in society today, but unfortunately, quality services in both sectors are beyond the reach and financial capacity of the common man,” he said.

Earlier, work in the fields of healthcare and education was done with a spirit of service, but now they have got commercialised, the RSS chief lamented.

“The need of the hour is to provide accessible, affordable, compassionate and easy facilities to the public in the healthcare and education sectors,” Bhagwat asserted.

He also expressed concern over the high cost of cancer treatment in the country.

“Good cancer treatment facilities are available in only eight to 10 cities in the country, and patients have to spend large sums of money to go there,” he said.

Capable and resourceful members of society must come forward to provide good healthcare and education facilities to citizens, Bhagwat opined.

“Terms like CSR are very technical and formal. In the context of service, we have a word called ‘dharma’. Dharma means fulfilling social responsibility. Dharma unites and uplifts society,” he asserted.

He also hailed the Indian medical system for its personalised touch as against the West’s “uniformity”.

“Western countries seek to apply their uniform standards in healthcare to other parts of the world, but Indian medical systems treat patients based on individual needs,” the RSS chief pointed out.