Mumbai: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shatrughan Sinha urged the public, private and corporate sector to help in providing diagnostic facilities for the rural population of the country.

"Need for proper diagnostic facilities especially in backward states was felt all the more with diseases like HIV, diabetes and tobacco-related cancers rising alarmingly," he said.

"Even polio, which Indian experts felt was getting eradicated is affecting the populace as there are no proper diagnostic centres in rural areas," the minister said after conferring the prestigious Dhanvantri Award instituted by the Dhanvantri foundation to eminent medical oncologist Dr Suresh H Advani at a function in Mumbai.

Stating that the country had a lot of challenges to face in health sector, Sinha said, "It is time for the entire community to take up challenges to work for a healthy and a wealthy India."

Underscoring the urgency to search for a "wonder drug" to combat AIDS, he said that, "We are expecting a magic drug to solve the problem through our ancient systems of medicines and in the coming days we have to come out with it."

Speaking on the occasion, Mumbai university vice-chancellor Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar appealed that the importance of healthcare as a service sector should be kept in mind while privatising the sector.

Rajya Sabha Member Sushil Kumar Shinde and Dhanvantri Foundation founder president Dr B K Goyal also spoke on the occasion.

PTI