There is no health without mental health; mental health is too important to be left to the professionals alone, and mental health is everyone's business.
Vikram PatelRead
It is easy to lay the blame on successive governments for failing to address health as a fundamental right for the Indian people. But the real tragedy is that we, the people of India, have not taken our government to task for this catastrophic failure.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the responsibility of citizens in holding their government accountable for health rights.
Vikram Patel emphasizes that while it is convenient to blame successive governments for neglecting the health rights of the Indian populace, the greater tragedy lies in the passive stance of the citizens. He calls for active engagement from the people to demand accountability and action from their leaders in addressing health as a fundamental right.
Themes
HealthAccountabilityCitizenshipGovernmentRights
In practice
Example use cases
In a public health discussion, this quote can emphasize the need for community action.
More from Vikram Patel
All quotes →In many parts of the world, chaining of people with mental illnesses is not uncommon, nor is seeing people walking around in clearly an unwell state, half naked, and no one takes any notice of them. It is tragic. There is a basic human right, which is not about just healthcare, but it is about the right to life with dignity, a right to citizenship.
Vikram PatelRead
Mental health can improve overall well-being and prevent other illnesses. And since mental health problems have a serious economic impact on vulnerable communities, making them a priority can save lives and markedly improve people's quality of life.
Vikram PatelRead
Most aid agencies do not even consider proposals to treat mental health problems; those that do think of it as a minor player, overshadowed by the pressing need to save lives by treating physical illness.
Vikram PatelRead
Similar quotes
As a physician, I'm somewhat an advocate of patients. How come, before Mike Webster, no NFL player was told or knew that there was an intrinsic risk of brain damage from playing football?
Bennet OmaluRead
The federal investment in finding cures for cancer - $3 billion annually [as of 1999] - is less than ... zero ... point ... zero ... zero ... zero ... four ... percent of our gross domestic product, or about one-seventh of what Americans spend on beauty products.
Michael MilkenRead
Analysis helps patients put their unconscious procedural memories and actions into words and into context, so they can better understand them. In the process they plastically retranscribe these procedural memories, so that they become conscious explicit memories, sometimes for the first time, and patients no longer need to "relive" or "reenact" them, especially if they were traumatic.
Norman DoidgeRead
People who are always taking care of their health are like misers, who are hoarding a treasure which they have never spirit enough to enjoy.
Laurence SterneRead
The joy is that we can take back our bodies, reclaim our health, and restore ourselves to balance. We can take power over what and how we eat. We can rejuvenate and recharge ourselves, bringing healing to the wounds we carry inside us, and bringing to fuller life the wonderful person that each of us can be.
John RobbinsRead
The abdominal and waist region coordinate all parts of the body and act as the center or generator. Therefore, you can promote the ability to control the body's action and master your will more easily.
Bruce LeeRead