President Ram Nath Kovind and Governor Banwarilal Purohit watering a sapling to inaugurate the new cancer treatment facility at the Sri Narayani Hospital in Vellore on Friday | s dinesh
VELLORE: President Ram Nath Kovind underlined the need for producing more healthcare professionals in the country. Inaugurating the ‘Centenary Year of Medical Education’ at the Christian Medical College in Vellore on Friday, the President said, “There is no greater work than saving human life”.
Pointing out the need for reforming medical education, President Kovind said there was a dearth of healthcare professionals. “As against the 15 lakh seats available in the engineering colleges, there was only 67, 000 medical seats available. This gap needs to be addressed quickly,”
Expressing his happiness in attending the centenary celebrations of CMC, the President said the achievement made by CMC was a matter of pride for the entire country. Completing 100 years was a great work and the present crew of the hospital must take inspiration from the founder Ida Scudder.
Meanwhile, sescribing the CMC as ‘microcosm of Indian civilisation’ Governon Banwarilal Purohit said that it is not common for an institution to complete 100 years of service in medical care. “This is a unique record,” he added.
‘‘Currently, CMC is a model in medical education, research and treatment in the country. Its services to the local community, especially to the poor, have brought it recognitions,” he added.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was a special invitee at the inauguration of centenary celebrations noted that the service model exhibited by the CMC deserved to be emulated by other healthcare institutions in the country.
“It is great to note that the institution is adhering to the original vision of its founder,” he pointed out and added that when education was being commercialised, CMC was offering undergraduate medical course without capitation fee.
This institution certainly deserved all support from the government to continue its mission of service, he said while congratulating the faculty and students of CMC.
Docs wear black badges against President’s visit
Chennai: Doctors belonging to the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association wore black badges in protest against President Ram Nath Kovind’s two-day visit to the State. Demanding NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu and 50 per cent reservation for service doctors in postgraduate admissions, The TNMOA said that doctors would continue wearing black badges while on duty on Saturday.
They also urged other government doctors to join the protest. The doctors said that last year the Assembly passed two Bills - Tamil Nadu Admissions to Post Graduate Courses in Medicine and Dentistry Bill, 2017 and the Tamil Nadu Admission to MBBS and BDS Courses Bill, 2017. The Bills were passed to get NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu, but the President’s assent had not been granted till date.
