‘Need to strengthen healthcare system’: WHO

TIRUPATI: World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has stressed on need to think beyond the Covid-19 pandemic and strengthen the healthcare system to tackle more pandemics.
She said that climate change will increase the chances of virus spread from animals as humans continue to occupy animal spaces. Soumya Swaminathan was addressing the 11th convocation of the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) at Mahathi Auditorium on Saturday.

SVIMS chancellor and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman YV Subba Reddy, vice-chancellor Dr B Vengamma, executive officer AV Dharma Reddy and students were present.
Delivering the keynote address, the WHO scientist said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has created many challenges for the healthcare systems across the globe. Several low and middle income countries continue to witness inequities in access to healthcare despite the high number of innovations.”

“The pandemic created an opportunity to improve science and leverage innovations for health and as a medical student, you are in the best position to play an important role within your society. At the same time, it is important for the students to ‘Think Globally and Act Locally’,” Soumya added.
Soumya Swaminathan further appealed to the authorities concerned to strengthen the primary health centres and community centres, particularly in the rural areas for the prevention and detection of diseases at early stages.

Addressing the convocation, YV Subba Reddy announced that all TTD-run hospitals will be brought under the SVIMS for ease of administration. He said plans are afoot to establish Sri Venkateswara Health University bringing all the medical institutions under one umbrella for distributing the workforce among the Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled (BIRRD) and the upcoming Sri Padmavathi Paediatrics Heart Hospital.

The TTD chairman further announced that to strengthen the existing facility and development of cancer genomics research, the SVIMS will establish an International Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre, which will be called Sri Balaji Institute of Oncology, first-of-its-kind in the country.
Further, a world-class rehabilitation centre at the SVIMS new campus near Renigunta will be constructed, the chairman added. A total of 487 students were awarded degrees at the convocation.