National Doctor's Day: Population, Food Contamination, Poor Hygiene Threaten Health Gains: Dr Bajpai

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Despite India’s impressive advancements in medical infrastructure and treatment, rising population, unhygienic conditions, and widespread food adulteration are major roadblocks to achieving true healthcare excellence, said Dr. Ashok Bajpai while speaking to The Free Press on the occasion of National Doctor’s Day.

“We have world-class medical facilities today, including advanced diagnostics and organ transplants such as renal and liver transplants. However, the impact of these achievements is being diluted due to external factors like contaminated food, poor hygiene, and rapid population growth,” Dr.Bajpai noted.

He emphasised that while India has reached global standards in treating complex diseases particularly related to cardiac, neurological and organs, fundamental issues continue to undermine these advancements. “Our biggest concern today is population control. The number of people is increasing, but healthcare resources remain limited. Without addressing this, progress will always be incomplete.”

Dr Bajpai also expressed concern over the increasing number of road accidents, calling for stricter enforcement of traffic laws. “Automobile accidents are a growing health burden, and we are not taking road safety seriously.”

Highlighting the gap in rural healthcare, he pointed out that people from remote districts like Jhabua travel to Indore even for minor illnesses. “Urban health infrastructure is growing, but peripheral and rural healthcare remains extremely poor. This imbalance must be corrected.”

Discussing rising disease trends among youth, he said, “In hostels, we’re seeing more cases of jaundice, typhoid and dengue—all linked to poor sanitation and water quality. Vector-borne and water-borne diseases are rising because of unhygienic living conditions.”

On the increasing number of heart attacks, Dr.Bajpai blamed poor lifestyle and diet. “Playgrounds have disappeared, physical activity is negligible, and our diets are dominated by oily and junk food. Food adulteration is rampant. We’re eating chemicals every day. Sugar, which I call ‘white poison’, is consumed excessively. We need to rethink our food habits.”

Looking ahead, Dr.Bajpai stressed that population control will be the single biggest factor determining the success of healthcare in the next 50 years. “No matter how many hospitals or facilities you build, if the population keeps rising unchecked, healthcare systems will remain overburdened. Controlling this is essential for sustainable progress.”

Doctors’ Day: Caring For Healers The Need Of The Hour

Indore Dental College leads in microscopic root canal and artificial prosthetic rehabilitation

On the occasion of National Doctor’s Day, Indore celebrated a dual transformation in public dental healthcare led by Government Dental College, which has emerged as a centre of excellence in both microscopic root canal treatment and artificial prosthetic rehabilitation.

The Department of Conservative Dentistry has successfully implemented an advanced endodontic microscope worth Rs 15 lakh, revolutionising root canal procedures. According to Dr Kuldeep Rana, the microscope, installed in 2023, magnifies dental structures up to 25 times—allowing detection of micro-fractures, hidden canals, and infected tissues often missed in traditional treatment. This technology has made root canal therapy more precise, painless, and efficient, benefiting thousands of patients and leading to faster recovery with minimal discomfort.

The college is also using Digital Smile Design, which enables dentists to digitally plan and preview cosmetic procedures, helping patients visualise their post-treatment smile before undergoing any procedure. This approach ensures customized and aesthetically pleasing results.

Simultaneously, the Prosthodontics Department, under the guidance of principal Dr Alka Gupta, has provided hundreds of artificial prostheses over the past two years. These include custom-made eyes, ears, noses, palates, and jaws for patients affected by trauma, cancer surgeries, or congenital deformities. These prostheses have restored not only facial appearance but also essential functions like chewing, speaking, and confidence in social settings.

“Many people are getting benefit from this facility and it has proven a great facility for the people who have lost their organ in any accident or in any other way.”

Dr Alka Gupta, BDS MDS Prosthodontics & Implantologist, Principal Government Dental College

“Earlier, narrow canals or complex root structures often led to treatment failure. But with this technology, success rates have drastically improved. Also, digital smile design brings golden changes in the lives of the people who wish for more beautiful smile”.

Dr Kuldeep Singh Rana, Root canal & Smile Design Specialist