Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Mr. Satish Upadhayay and Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurate Heart Care Foundation of India’s annual flagship event, the MTNL 21st Perfect Health Mela and SAIL Heart and Health Pavilion

Discussing the implications of the consumer protection act on the medical profession

New Delhi, 15^th October 2014 - Heart Care Foundation of India, a leading national non-profit organization committed to making India a healthier and disease free nation, had a gala opening today. The annual five-day flagship event, the 21^st MTNL Perfect Health Mela and SAIL Heart and Health Pavilion from Oct 15 – 19, 2014 at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Renowned dignitaries such as Mr. Mukul Rohatgi – the Attorney General of India, Mr. Satish Upadhayay – President Delhi BJP and Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi – Member of Parliament inaugurated the event. The key topics discussed during the function included the implications of the consumer protection act on the Indian Medical Profession, the increasing number of medical negligence cases in the country and the issue of patient compensation.

Started in 1993, the Perfect Health Mela is a mass health awareness module, which caters to people of all age groups and walks of life. Its primary activities include health check up camps, entertainment programs, lifestyle exhibitions, workshops and inter college and school competitions.  This year’s Mela is being organized jointly with NDMC and in association with the UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan, MCD, SAIL and MTNL and its theme is “Swach Bharat, Swasth Bharat”. They key features of this year’s Mela include a live telemedicine facility being organized in association with Medanta – the Medicity, heart surgeries for the poor and needy at subsidized rates by the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund and a one of its kind SAIL Health Pavilion.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, National Awardee, Sr. National Vice President and Secretary General Elect of the IMA and the President of Heart Care Foundation of India, Dr. KK Aggarwal said, “We at Heart Care Foundation of India are extremely delighted to announce the onset of the MTNL 21^st Perfect Health Mela and to have such renowned panelists amongst us today. Doctors should not be under consumer protection act as otherwise they would be allowed to advertise and commercialize their services. Also, a large number of hospitalizations can be prevented if everyone in the country follows the ‘Sawach Bharat, Swasth Bharat’ mantra in letters and in spirit. By simply observing hygiene in water and environment up to 50% of the diseases can be prevented.  I would like to thank all our supporters and partners for supporting us in this initiative and hope that we can continue making a substantial difference to the Indian healthcare scenario in the future as well”

Congratulating Heart Care Foundation of India on its initiative, Mr. Ravi Shanker Prasad, Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India, in his message said that effective, transparent and timely communication between doctors and patients can prevent over 90% of the medico-legal complaints. Doctors must insure that they do not just communicate verbally but also give a written opinion in the form of a legible prescription to avoid any errors or miscommunication.

Adding to this, Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Attorney General of India said, “Doctors should not be afraid of being included in the Consumer Protection Act. A doctor is not supposed to possess the highest degree of skill and knowledge but is supposed to possess and practice only an average degree of skill and knowledge. Simple deviation from practice, medical accidents and error of judgment are not negligence”.

Speaking about Medanta’s association with the Perfect Health Mela Dr. Naresh Trehan, Padma Bhushan Awardee, CMD Medanta - The Medicty said, “It is a privileged to be partnering with this noble and humanitarian cause. We at Medanta- The Medicity will be providing medical consultations, live telemedicine services and subsidized congenital heart surgeries for the poor and needy at the 21^st Perfect Health Mela.”

Over 3000 students from across leading schools were seen competing in activities with an underlying healthcare theme in the Harmony Interschool festival. Noted poet and Padma Shri Awardee Mr Ashok Chakradhar opened the inaugural students walk.

Kiran Mehra - Kerpelman, Director, UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan said, "The UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan (UNIC) represents the UN Secretariat and its Director is the spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General. I interpret UNIC in a new way –as UN-India Connect! There is so much happening in India and I really wanted to be part of it all. Seeing the commitment of the UN agencies and its partners -- NGOs, media, academia, think-tanks – to improve the quality of people’s lives and ensure human rights, has been absolutely inspiring. I am so pleased to be able to participate in these inspirational moments.”

Presiding over the function, Mr. Jalaj Srivastava, Chairman NDMC said, “The aim of every citizen of Delhi should be to make Delhi garbage and litter free. Citizens should consider India Gate as their personal farmhouse, the Metro as their personal limousine and the Yamuna River as their personal swimming pool. Only then will they collectively be able to clean the environment.”

Mr. P.K. Purwar CMD, MTNL said that with the help of telemedicine, it is possible to provide timely advice and a consultation to masses and this is a revolutionary development in India.

Adding to this Mr. C.S. Verma CMD SAIL, said “Prevention of diseases is key in today’s faced paced world. We must take out some time for our health, well-being and happiness and also keep our environment clean. It is our duty to preserve our environment for our future generation like our forefathers did for us.”

Mr. Deepak Jolly Vice President Coke and Mr. Dinesh Kumar Development Comm. Handloom added, “To remain healthy, one must adapt to healthy lifestyle, avoid eating food with high levels of transfat, say no to smoking and alcohol and eat a balanced diet.”

Mr. B.P. Singh, Adviser, DST, who supported the interschool festival Harmony, in his message, said “Children should be taught the importance of health using scientific reasoning so that they not only follow but also understand how a lifestyle can prevent and save lives”.

Others present on the occasion were Dr Anil Goyal President DMA, Nalini and Kamalini, noted Kathak Dancers, Dr H K Chopra President Elect CSI and Dr P K Sharma MOH NDMC,