Dr. M.K.C. Nair, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala University of Health
Science, Thrissur,
Shri G. Viswanath, Surgeon Rear Admiral,
Shri K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla, District Collector,
Dr. M.R. Rajagopal, Pallium India,
Dr. V.K. Sreekala, Principal, Govt. Medical College, Ernakulam,
Dr. Jestine K. Abraham, Representative of House Surgeons,
Dr. Jilse George, Staff Advisor,
Dear Gradaunts,
Dear Parents,
Priyappetta Medical Vidyarthikale,
Madhyama Suhruthukkale,
Priyappetta Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Ellaavarkkum Ente Namaskaaram.
I am very happy to address you in this Graduation Ceremony of the 2012 Batch of Doctors at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam.
Let me at the outset, congratulate all the young men and women who are receiving their degrees today. To be educated in institutions like this is a rare privilege and therefore, I would consider all of you as really fortunate. I understand that this is the 11th batch of students graduating from this college. Established in 1999 and initially governed by the Co-operative Academy of Professional Education and taken over by the Government of Kerala in 2013, this institution has been steadily establishing itself as a model institution in the State. Today, it offers three Postgraduate Courses, Nursing and Biomedical Engineering Courses. I appreciate the efforts of the teachers and supporting staff in maintaining high standards in medical education and training in this college.
I am happy to note that this college now accommodates 23 pre clinical and clinical departments, six super specialty departments, 24 hour casualty services, a dozen fully functional operation theaters, a well established Palliative care facility and a Drug Bank run by the students to provide medicines at low cost to the needy. I am happy that the well trained Disaster response team of this college could offer valuable help in Kerala's recent fight against the NIPAH virus outbreak in Kozhikode.
Dear young Doctors, for you, this function marks the culmination of long years of study and hard work. Your parents and siblings, see it as a moment of pride. But, I am sure that you will not sit back and rest on the laurels for a long time, because this Degree marks only the beginning of a new life. What lies ahead is a series of instances that would test your efficiency in your profession. You may also face ethical challenges and will have to cope with emerging technologies.
Today, Kerala is a major supplier of doctors and nurses to the developed countries of the world. At the same time, we are running short of doctors in many of our rural health outfits, partly because some doctors are reluctant to serve in such health centers. The working atmosphere in the Government hospitals may not always be to our liking, but let us not forget that those hospitals are the only hope to the majority of our people. And, such hospitals provide the platform for translating your acquired knowledge into practice. The large number of ordinary patients whom you would serve in such places will be silently and indirectly fine-tuning your skill as a doctor.
You are now aware of the major initiatives in the Health sector like the Aardram Mission, which has set very ambitious targets. Primary Health Centers are being elevated to Community Health Centers and more services are being offered to the common man at his doorsteps. All these missions would succeed only if the young professionals show willingness to work in situations which may initially look adverse, but would prove rewarding later. For a young medical practitioner, the profession should be an opportunity learn the pulse and heartbeats of society and thereby develop a larger social vision. If you develop this vision, you would automatically develop the attitude to respond to the complaints and angry reactions of patients with better understanding.
With modern science and medicine developing at an unpredictable speed, keeping pace with the new developments has become a major challenge. The range of ethical issues has also widened so much that every technological leap tends to have an ethical issue hidden behind it. I therefore, hope that a strict adherence to the ethical practices would be your top priority.
You are aware that the Medical Council of India [MCI] Code of Ethics Regulations, 2002 sets the professional standards for medical practice. I request the Doctors’ community to follow the standards prescribed in the Regulations. Apart from the Code of Ethics Regulations, 2002, there are special legislations like the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques [Regulation and Prevention of Misuse] Act, 1994, which prohibit the determination and disclosure of sex of the fetus and prescribes criminal punishment for contravention. Likewise, doctors are mandated to give disability certificate as per the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities [Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation] Act, 1995 which provides for education, employment, creation of a barrier free environment, social security etc to all disabled persons.
Young doctors must realize that there are no provisions in the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Motor Vehicles Act, which prevent government and private doctors from attending seriously injured accident victims before the police complete legal formalities. The priority should be to save the person and it is applicable to doctors, police or any other citizen who notices an accident.
In conclusion, I would remind you that a doctor should be an eternal student with a mind open to other streams of science and medicine. Young doctors should pursue collaborative research in Medical science so that different streams can improve their mutual trust through new factual findings.
I would also request the young graduates here to educate society with scientific and factual medical information so that people are not misled by quackery. We had seen this bad trend during our struggle against Nipah recently.
I wish you the professional excellence, confidence and above all, a compassionate mind to achieve the goal of winning people's faith in your abilities as doctors.
I compliment the College Authorities for organizing this ceremony in a befitting manner. I once again greet everyone present here and wish them success in their chosen fields of activity.
Ellavarkkum Ente Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
