People must follow family planning voluntarily, says Venkaiah Naidu

VIJAYAWADA: Expressing concern over the rising population in the country, former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said that the country’s population had reached 140 crore and stated that he didn’t know whether to be happy or sad about this increasing population.

He further informed that around 20 per cent of the population was living in poverty and 18 per cent was still illiterate. In view of the rise in population in the country, he appealed to the people to follow family planning voluntarily.

The former Vice-President inaugurated a free medical camp at Swarna Bharathi Trust at Atkuru near Gannavaram in Krishna District on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, Venkaiah insisted that health is wealth and everyone must give importance to healthcare and suggested to the governments and voluntary organisations to give a significant importance to free health and education to the people adding that more and more funds should be allocated for these two sectors.

He opined that the government hospitals’ working style across the State should be improved and governments must take responsibility in this regard.

He suggested to the youth and citizens to follow the best diet like traditional cooking food and abstain from foreign eating habits to be healthy forever. He said that instant food caused constant (Chronic) diseases and suggested getting rid of stored and packet food.

He also suggested taking millets instead of white rice to improve healthcare. Meanwhile, during the free medical camp people were given free medical services to heart related problems, orthopedic cases, lungs, kidney and eye related issues.

The medical camp was organised jointly by Swarna Bharathi Trust and Andhra Hospitals. Former minister Kamineni Srinivas, Dr CV Rao, Dr J Srimannarayana, Dr Prasanth, Pujitha, Nava Kiran, Dr Swathi, Dr Mastan Vali,Viswanath Prasada and others participated.