Sonu Sood Calls For Affordable Healthcare Policies, Wider Hospital Support
“Hyderabad is one place I’ve been very closely associated with the medical world": Actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood
HYDERABAD: Actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood has helped patients access liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant surgeries through hospitals in Hyderabad, a city he said has become closely associated with his medical assistance work. Speaking prior to an event, ‘Symposium Edition 7: The Humanity in Us: What Does It Mean to Care?’ on Friday, he called for greater support from hospitals and government policies that would make treatment affordable to people who cannot bear the costs.
“Hyderabad is one place I’ve been very closely associated with the medical world. You name a hospital, we have done surgeries there,” Sood said, crediting doctors and hospital managements for their cooperation.
“People come to my office and my residence for different kinds of surgeries,” he said. Years of working with medical professionals have helped him establish contacts through which patients can seek assistance. Sood said the inability to afford treatment remained a serious concern. “Doctors and hospitals can come forward and maybe the government could also introduce policies where every individual in this country can afford any kind of medical assistance,” he said.
The actor also spoke about the family values behind his philanthropic work. His mother was a professor who taught children free of cost, while his father ran a showroom in Punjab, outside which food was served through a langar. “I think the seeds started there, and I’ve just been trying to follow their path,” he said.
Despite the satisfaction he finds in helping people, Sood acknowledged the criticism that accompanies such work. People sometimes question whether his intentions are political or connected to his film career, he said by and such suspicions can discourage others from continuing their efforts.
Sood also spoke about the potential of Gen Z, describing young people as more informed and technologically aware. He said their energy needed to be directed towards helping society rather than remaining confined to their own lives. “As actors, we run behind those box-office numbers, but I think the biggest box-office blockbuster that you can give is bringing a smile to a needy face,” he said.
