Azad expresses concern over spread of new diseases

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) India Health Minister Ghulam Nabi
Azad Wednesday expressed concern over spread of new types of
diseases, including swine flu, across the globe and said the
government is leaving no stone unturned in tackling them.

Addressing a gathering at the "National Conference on
Recent Development in Computing and its Applications in Jamia
Hamdard, he said, "since there is no end to diseases, there
will be no end to developing newer vaccines and medicines
too."

He said, "swine flu has spread all over the world. I
spend four to five hours with doctors everyday. I try to see
where we are lacking behind and how much science is yet to
achieve. It can be said that there is neither any limit to
science nor diseases."

While drawing parallels with traffic in the city, the
minister said, "The traffic is so huge that every second year
we are considering bifurcating the existing lanes from two to
four to six. This is even after introducing flyovers and
metros".

"We might be working towards developing medicines for a
particular disease but even before we accomplish it, another
crops up. You start developing medicines and vaccines for
this, the third disease has already arrived. In a way the
diseases have always overtaken us," Azad said.

Since Jamia Hamdard has produced the best pharmacist and
is the only one who teaches traditional and contemporary
medicinal courses, the minister insisted that a mechanism
should be developed so that new branches of the university be
opened keeping it as the nodal centre.

"India produces good quality and cheap medicines and
vaccines. It is not alone in India but even outside nations
are interested that our pharmacy industry should expand," he
said. PTI SWT
DDC