IDPD: Nuclear weapons have to be abolished for good

Ludhiana, February 16, 2013: The IDPD national conference on the second day was inaugurated by the Mayor of Ludhiana Harcharan Singh Golwaria.

He expressed full solidarity with the movement for the abolition of nuclear weapons as launched by the doctors and medical students under the banner of IDPD. Nuclear weapons are the weapons of mass destruction and have to be abolished for good, he said and assured of joining the Mayors for peace in their endeavour for a nuclear weapon free world.

The inaugural session was addressed among others by Dr L S Chawla-President, Dr Daljeet Singh-Principal DMC, and Dr Manoj Sobti-President IMA Punjab. 

Dr Arun Mitra gave an over view of the activities of the organisation since the last conference held at Agra  January 2010.

Students session in the morning discussed about the role of the medical students in promoting peace.

The afternoon session was devoted to challenges of public health in India.

Dr Imrana Qadeer from centre of social development studies, Dr Tejbir Singh- HOD Community medicine Government Medical College Amritsar and Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman from Patna were the key speakers.  They said that spending on health has to be increased to a minimum of 6% if health of people has to be improved. Present policies of the government of corporatisation of health care are not sustainable as majority of the people are unable to afford it. Every year 4 crore people go below poverty line because of out of pocket expenditure on health. 

The session was followed by discussion in which large number of participants participated.

Final session was on the need for peace for industrial and economic growth.

Manoj Singhal, CEO and MD, M&M Auto Industries shared his experience on the subject and said that economic growth is directly related to peace and disarmament.