Date:10/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111050310100.htm

Front Page

Kalam for best health care to the poor

Staff Reporter

Former President lays stress on medical innovation, technology

Doctors urged to take up medical work with zeal
Call to eradicate diseases such as malaria, TB

KOTTAYAM: Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has called upon doctors to be humane in their conduct as medical professionals.

Delivering his keynote address on Dynamics of Medical Research and Medical Community at the convocation of the 2002 batch of students at Government Medical College, Kottayam, the former President said the aim of medical education should be to facilitate application of medical technology for providing the best care to the poor at affordable cost.

He delineated the life of eminent doctors like Dr. Soma Raju, founder of Care Hospital, Dr. H. Sudarshan, whose endeavour was to reach out to the unreached through the Vivekananda Girjana Kalyan Kendra, and Dr. Venkita Swamy, who took upon himself the task of helping those who needed eye care in his region with missionary zeal and set up the Aravind chain of hospitals. All of them had a passion for their profession and an innate desire to make a change in the life of the people around them. Their kindness to patients brought out the best in them and they had a continuous desire to learn.

“Above all they had a very effective time management system,” he said.

There are many avoidable health-care issues that confront the nation, he said and stressed the need to eradicate diseases such as malaria and TB. “We have to make maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate near-zero and ensure that there is no occurrence of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis-B and C due to reuse of syringe and needle.”

The doctors would have to think of freeing future generations from diseases.

“To find satisfactory answers to such questions we will have to address together many aspects like medical innovation, training, technology, sanitation, nutrition, public awareness and ethics, together,” he said. Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Jancy James presided. Kottayam Medical College Principal A. Meharunnisa Beevi welcomed the gathering. N. Sudhaya Kumar, former Principal and Director of Medical Education, and P. Chandra Mohan, Vice-Chancellor Kannur University, spoke.