Seven girls among eight medical students honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said that 'there is a need for a large number of good doctors and medical colleges for the delivery of effective health services'. While addressing the first convocation of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, the President hailed recently-promulgated Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. He said: 

"The recently-promulgated Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, would encourage the establishment, expansion and modernisation of medical colleges and institutions".

President then awarded eleven gold medals to eight meritorious students of the college.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Acharya Dev Vrat said:

"It was heartening to know that seven out of the eight recipients of the gold medal were girls".

Acharya Dev Vrat added that doctors should also motivate the people, especially the younger generations, to adopt a simple and tension-free life. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that the state government was committed to strengthen all the health institutions so that the people could be provided quality health services nearer to their homes. 

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Earlier, the President inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the medical education programme of Christian Medical College, Vellore in Tamil Nadu. While inaugurating  the celebrations, he said: 

“There is urgent need to do this, and to reform medical education so as to create room for more colleges and more medical graduates. In India we have 1.47 million undergraduate engineering seats, but only 67,352 undergraduate medical seats. And about 20 per cent of those seats were added in the past four years. As a country and a system, we need to address this gap quickly,”

The President told the faculty and students of the college that the guiding principles of the philosophy of public health were equity and efficiency, quality and quantity, and access and affordability.

“Healthcare is above all else a service. Yes, it is also a business – but there is no greater business than saving a life,” said President Kovind.

The President then paid glowing tributes to CMC Vellore, south India’s leading medical college and hospital where doctors are trained to serve the society.

“The medical education program here combines professional expertise with social relevance and ethical practice. I understand clinical training in your hospital is complemented by placements in villages and underserved areas. This is commendable. Please keep it up. Doctors need a sharp mind – but much more than that, they need a warm heart. And CMC Vellore must continue to train doctors and nurses with warm hearts,” said the President.

After the function at CMC, the President inaugurated the kidney transplant and cardiac unit at Sri Narayani Hspital and Research Centre at Vellore.

(With inputs from PTI)