IE: Is Chennai evolving as the healthcare capital of India?
Shah Nawaz Khan (SNK): In Chennai quality healthcare is accessible. There are well-trained super-specialties manned by experts in several large hospitals. Even patients from the Gulf and African countries get treated in Chennai.
In the past two decades there has been a large addition of private hospitals. These are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Diagnosis and treatment have improved. Both the government and the Medical Council of India have allowed increase in the capacity of medical seats in colleges, both public and private. Yes, the city has credentials to be called the healthcare capital of India.
While the upper strata of society are looked after by the private hospitals, the government has been left to cater to the lower strata. The pressure of taking care of all the sections has eased. This has enabled the penetration of healthcare into rural areas.

IE: Has the entry of corporate hospitals resulted in higher cost of medicare?
SNK: Modern hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment which are expensive.

IE: While many of these non-invasive equipments are effective, there is the perception of indiscriminate use of these. How will you ensure optimal use of these?
SNK: I can’t agree that the use of many of these non-invasive techniques is indiscriminate. Precaution necessitates the use of these to detect abnormalities. Current times are such that the doctor can be taken to court because a particular test available was not done. Thus it becomes vital that the doctor adheres to procedures based on such tests.

IE: The health-for-all concept is much talked about. The expenditure on public health has been increasing. Do you notice tangible improvements in public healthcare?
SNK: Though this concept is much talked about, it has been seen in action mostly in developed countries like the US. It will take more time to implement this in India.

IE: Concepts like wellness and preventive medicare are better understood today. But this is restricted to small sections of the population. How to expand awareness on these?
SNK: Preventive medicare is a very broad term. It encompasses vaccines, medicine, water, sanitation... Even the very water that you drink should be so pure that you don’t fall sick. This term is well-understood today.

IE: Medical education has increased massively in quantity. There is the perception that the high cost involved limits access to the very few and contributes to dilution of quality and a rush towards a quick payback. Your views on tackling this.
SNK: I do not agree that the quality has fallen. Whether private or government, education is standardised. Australia has many colleges in just one city but it has not impacted on quality in a negative way.

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