Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said if the country has to be made healthy and productive in the long term, then the medical system must move beyond a treatment-centric model towards a model based on public awareness and lifestyle improvement.Addressing the Cardiological Society of India conference ‘NIC-2026’ at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University in Lucknow, Yogi said govt is working on expanding health infrastructure and affordable treatment.Prioritizing the strategy of ‘prevention’ to protect society from diseases in advance, he said, “The dual approach of prevention and treatment will form the foundation of India’s health security in the future,” he said. To achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’, it is essential to build a disease-free society, he stressed.He added that inspiring people to adopt a healthy routine through awareness campaigns is the need of the hour, which will help in tackling future health challenges more effectively.“The rapid increase in non-communicable diseases and their growing impact on a large section of society is a matter of serious concern. Earlier, a serious illness meant financial crisis for the entire family, as there were neither sufficient health institutions nor availability of specialists. However, in recent years, there has been a major change. Through Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, about 55-60 crore people in the country are now getting health security of up to Rs 5 lakh per year, which is providing relief to common people from the burden of treatment expenses,” the CM said.Chief Minister also added, in the year 2025, about Rs 1400 crore was made available to the public for treatment through the Chief Minister Relief Fund, which reflects the government’s sensitivity.Yogi said a decade ago, UP had only 17 govt medical colleges but now the number has increased to 81, and 2 AIIMS are also operational. Establishment of ICUs in every district, initiation of Cath labs at multiple locations, rapid expansion of super specialty hospitals in the private sector, and strengthening of infrastructure in older medical colleges are providing new strength to health services, he added.The CM said while conditions are relatively easier for doctors working in the private sector, the excessive rush of patients in govt institutions has become a serious challenge. “KGMU has 12,000 to 14,000 OPD patients and SGPGI 10,000 to 12,000 OPD patients daily. In such a situation, it becomes difficult to provide adequate time and quality treatment to each patient, and this pressure is likely to increase in the future,” he said.Yogi added that changing lifestyles, especially the use of smartphones have led to new diseases, while the rapid spread of diabetes has also emerged as a major challenge. In these circumstances, govt efforts alone are not sufficient; widespread public awareness is extremely necessary.Raising the issue of growing adulteration in food items, Yogi said, “Today, one cannot be certain about the quality of food served at any event. In this context, the efforts of PM Narendra Modi to establish traditional systems of medicine and yoga globally are commendable, as seen in the celebration of ‘International Yoga Day’ on 21 June.”He urged doctors and experts to motivate society to adopt a disciplined routine, avoid excessive smartphone usage, and follow a healthy lifestyle, as public awareness is the most effective solution to this growing problem.Chief minister said, “Govt is working equally on both awareness and treatment levels to make health services affordable, accessible, and effective. Through Ayushman Bharat Yojana, heart treatment facilities like bypass surgery, angiography, and angioplasty are being made accessible to the general public, providing relief to the poor. Due to active lifestyles, heart diseases are relatively less common among the labour class, but in changing circumstances, timely screening, awareness, and better health services are extremely important.”
