Bhubaneswar, 06/10/2018:  All India Institute of Medical Science (ENT Dept) & All India Rhinology Society is organising a 2 day conference Rhinocon 2018, beginning today at Bhubaneswar. Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD, NALCO, graced the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while Shri Dilip Tirkey, former Rajya Sabha member and Dr. Gitanjali Batmanabane, Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar were present as the guests of honour. Inaugurating the Conference, Dr Chand in his address to the medical fraternity said that providing health care to 1.3billion population of our country is indeed a challenge, but we must see the challenge as an opportunity to provide employment, as by turn of the decade India will be emerging as the youngest nation with 64% of population in working age group and these people need to remain fit by providing better healthcare.

“This huge demographic can give an estimated additional growth rate of 2% in GDP, provided meaningful engagement is ensured, which will ultimately make India’s dream of becoming the 3rd largest economy with a GDP worth $17 from present $2.6 trillion a reality”, said Dr. Chand.

Being optimistic on the huge potential of employment in healthcare sector to offer, Dr Chand also said that once sectors such as healthcare and education were considered to be major expenditures but now with change in policy decisions, these are considered as sectors with huge investment potentials. “With fourth industrial revolution Industry 4.0, it will bring along smart technologies, giving rise to availability, affordability and scalability and also significantly reducing the capex”, added Dr Chand.

Citing different initiatives taken up by NALCO, Dr. Chand mentioned about company plan to introduce an Integrated Health Management System on pilot basis to provide missing link in peripheral villages and to bridge the gaps in existing healthcare systems. Under this integrated healthcare management system, the company would be setting up wellness clinics & call centres for the peripheral villages in Angul & Damanjodi.

Worth mentioning that NALCO presently has two full-fledged Hospitals and 9 Mobile Health Units accessible to people of periphery villages benefiting more than one lakh patients every year. Besides, the company is setting up a modern Eye Hospital at Angul and Night Shelter in AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for attendants of indoor patients and OPD patients availing long term treatment.