The country is facing shortage of medical doctors and healthcare professionals and there is an urgent need to fill this gap, according to President Ram Nath Kovind.
“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 said while inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the medical education programme of Christian Medical College, Vellore in Tamil Nadu on Friday.
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.
It may be remembered that N Chandrasekharan, Chairman, Tata Sons ltd, while addressing an educational conclave in Chennai last year had pointed out that the country faced a shortage of more than 5,00,000 doctors.
The President 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 programme 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.