The Tamil Nadu State Branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched the Doctors Citizen Forum in Chennai on Thursday.
M. Abdul Hasan, President, IMA Tamil Nadu, stated that the forum aims to bridge the gap between doctors and the public by improving communication. He noted that recent times have seen a decline in trust and confidence in the modern healthcare system, partly due to abundance of unverified information on social media. Dr. Hasan said the forum will be functional in every district of Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at the event, N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, said quackery by charlatans is rampant in rural India and government policies must attend to it. “We have great traditions in ancient medicine but today, the only medicine I know has a scientific basis is modern medicine. IMA is a champion in this progressive way of thinking and not falling into the trap of hyper nationalism,” he said.
R. Varadarajulu, Former Home Secretary Govt of Tamilnadu, highlighted the link between modern diseases and environmental factors. He said cities are choking with smoke and contaminated rivers. These issues contribute not only to chronic illnesses but also to biodiversity problems. Consequently, preventive care and early diagnosis have become crucial, he said. He stressed that universal free health insurance and universal free education must be the main priorities of governments.
Anand David, Senior Counsel, Madras High Court, M. Gunasekaran, Chief News Editor, Sun Network, former Indian Cricketer L. Balaji, and Karthick Prabhu, Secretary, IMA, Tamil Nadu, were present.