New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday emphasised the need for greater private sector participation in strengthening the country's healthcare infrastructure.

Noting that catering to India's healthcare needs is a stupendous task, Naidu called upon the private sector to complement the government's efforts and take "medical profession and allied activities as a mission".

Inaugurating the new Mahajan Imaging facility in the city's Safdarjung Development Area, he said that making world-class health infrastructure and diagnostics accessible to people is the need of the hour and high-standard diagnostics will enable doctors to diagnose more accurately and make safer interventions.

Highlighting the worrying trend of increasing non-communicable diseases in India, Naidu urged the medical fraternity in the private sector to create awareness among people, particularly the youth, on the dangers posed by a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits.

He appealed to the people to shun a sedentary lifestyle and adopt a healthy way of living.

"The Covid pandemic and rapidly changing climate, teach us many lessons about our habits and way of life," he said.

The Vice President, therefore, called for spending more time in the lap of nature and to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.