Mangaluru: Health and Economics Share Same Platform at daylong workshop at SAC

Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 01 Mar 2015: It was for the first time that two diverse fields’ health and economics came together in a unique synergy. The occasion was the national workshop on the theme ’Issues and reforms in the field of Health Economics’.  The one-day workshop conducted by the post graduate department of Economics of St Aloysius College (SAC) was held here on Saturday February 28, in order to acknowledge the students about the recent trends, issues and reforms in the field of Health Economics.

 

Professor Dr B M Hegde, former vice-chancellor of the Manipal University and a Padma Bhushan awardee delivered his keynote address to the gathering after inaugurating the ceremony along with state minister for health and family welfare U T Khader, SAC principal Fr Swebert D’Silva, head of department of economics Dr P P Sajimon, SAC finance officer Fr Walter Andrade.

 

Dr Hegde spoke about how people can save money by not spending on illnesses by having better drinking water, hygienic mid-day meals, economic empowerment of women, cleaner toilet facilities and a roof-over-head. He observed that 10 percent illness can be cured if the sanitary cleanliness can be maintained and providing people with potable water can reduce diseases by 60 percent.

 

 

Dr Hegde also gave some examples where the healthcare success lies in the sustainable development (keeping environment clean) which decides how much the population can afford to pay for healthcare.

 

The minister U T Khadar spoke about how health must be maintained in order to achieve a better standard of living. He said that if the situation arises where instead of building more hospitals, there are fewer hospitals established only then the healthcare potential can be boasted about. He also spoke about a mobile app which can be used to compare the rate list of all hospitals.

 

Sessions conducted included a talk on Health Sector Reforms by Professor Dr Mani K P, director of Dr John Mathai Centre Campus; a presentation on Financing of health by Professor Dr D Narayana, former director of Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation and Dr. Hari Kurup, the state co-ordinator of costing study of government of Kerala spoke on consumer choice and providers strategy in healthcare.

 

Dr P P Sajimon introduced to the gathering on how the economics can be introduced in health sector to achieve maximum progress. He said that the amalgamation of the science and the art can bring out better results in the healthcare field.