New Delhi: Various philanthropic activities being run by Apollo Hospitals’ Founder Dr Prathap C Reddy got a huge endorsement today as he was conferred with Lions Humanitarian Award, the highest honour of the Lions Club International, carrying a cash of US$250,000. This honour puts Dr Reddy in the big league of philanthropists. Dr. Reddy, the architect of modern healthcare in India, becomes the fifth Indian and second medical doctor to be bestowed with this honour.
The list of humanitarians extraordinaire who have so far been given this award includes a veritable who’s who of philanthropists of the world. Some of them are Nobel Peace Prize winner late Mother Teresa, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
Union Minister of State for Health Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Virinder Kumar Luthra, Director, Lions Clubs International and Dr Naresh Aggarwal, immediate past president, Lions Club International, all showered encomiums on Dr Reddy for his compassionate credo in healthcare business. Mr Choubey even went to the extent of calling him Bharat Ratna. His immense contributions to Indian healthcare and altruism were duly underlined by them. He got accolades for increasing accessibility and affordability of world-class healthcare to bring it within the economic and geographic reach of millions. Dr Reddy has also been the recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan conferred by the Government of India.
The occasion was also marked by signing of an MOU between Apollo group of hospitals and Lions club International to launch Lions Apollo Healthcare Partnership programme (LAHPP). This will be a coordinated Health Care programme for the under privileged by the Lions Club International Foundation in collaboration with the Apollo Group of Hospitals.
Acknowledging the award, Dr. Prathap C Reddy said, ‘India is on the throes of becoming healthcare capital of the world and Apollo would do all its bits to put India on this pedestal. Talking of Ayushman Bharat, globally the biggest government health protectionscheme, also known as Modicare, Dr Reddy said, ‘Apollo group of hospitals would walk along the vision of the government. You have given us a mission and we would not be found wanting.’
Expressing his emotions on receiving the honour, Dr Reddy further said, ‘It is an honour to receive the Lions Humanitarian Award in recognition of my efforts to make quality healthcare accessible for all Indian. It is my vision that India should become the global healthcare destination, recognized for its contribution to heal the world. The work done by Apollo and other great health institutions has made Indian healthcare a force to reckon with. While new challenges like those from Non-Communicable Diseases continue to present risks, we must all unite to create a health system that stands as a beacon of excellence for the world. I thank Lions Clubs International for this award and hope that this recognition will inspire others to serve and carry on humanitarian work, just as it has inspired me.’
Under Dr. Reddy’s guiding hand, Apollo Hospitals has harnessed technology and insurance to take healthcare to the masses. The pioneering success of telemedicine and innovative insurance in Aragonda, the world’s first V-SAT enabled remote village in Andhra Pradesh, validated the concept of ‘Healthcare for All’. The groundbreaking Apollo Reach Hospitals model has enabled high quality healthcare to reach semi urban and rural areas in the very heart of India.
Dr. Reddy has been a tireless advocate for creating access through
insurance. The innovative insurance project of Re.1 a day that he introduced decades ago in his native village has been adopted in multiple ways across the country and its core idea is reflected in the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance programme. Dr. Prathap C Reddy has also promoted preventive health care with over 15 million Annual Health Checks have been performed by the group. The Billion Hearts Beating Foundation launched by Dr. Reddy deploys innovative mediums to encourage Indians to stay heart-healthy.
