L-G urges young doctors to serve in rural and tribal regions

Flagging the dearth of medical specialists in villages and remote areas, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan urged young doctors to devote part of their careers to serving rural and tribal communities.

Addressing the 9th Graduation Day of the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital (SMVMCH) held recently, Mr. Kailashnathan appealed to the graduates to serve where the need is greatest.

The Lt. Governor pointed out that the country still faced deep inequalities in access to healthcare despite the efforts of both the Central and State governments on healthcare infrastructure through National Health Programmes. Rural areas lack specialists and remote regions face critical shortage of infrastructure. Many communities suffer from preventable diseases due to lack of awareness, he said.

“Consider giving a part of your career to serve in rural health centres, tribal clinics, and public health missions. There is no greater satisfaction than bringing relief to those who suffer from a severe shortage,” he said.

The Lt. Governor reminded the graduates that as physicians, their role in society extended far beyond hospitals and clinics. “You are public health ambassadors, counsellors, educators, and sometimes even policy influencers,” he said.

In a world of both old and new challenges — infectious diseases that still take lives, non-communicable diseases that drain nations of their productivity, mental health struggles, lifestyle-related disorders and global threats like pandemics and climate-related health crises, “your work will not only relieve suffering but also play a critical role in building healthier communities and strengthening the nation’s healthcare infrastructure.”

Pointing out that the young doctors were set to join an ambitious journey towards universal healthcare, health insurance for all, increased infrastructure investment, and medical education reform as the nation heads toward the goal of Viksit Bharat@2047, the Lt. Governor also stressed the importance of serving the sick with kindness.

“No machine can replicate the empathy in a doctor’s touch or the comfort in a compassionate conversation. Combine the precision of science with the warmth of humanity”, he said.

Nation building, he said, was not merely about infrastructure or technological development, but rather about ensuring the well-being of its people.

Mr. Kailashnathan urged the fraternity of young medical professionals to make a contribution to environment conservation. It is important to understand that pollution, climate change, deforestation and water scarcity are not just ecological issues, but public health emergencies.

The Lt. Governor later presented medals and certificates to top achievers.

During the ceremony, degrees and medals were awarded to 148 undergraduate and 120 postgraduate students. Among them, 19 undergraduate and 15 postgraduate students were honoured as college toppers and were given gold coins.

M. Dhanasekaran, Chancellor of Takshashila University and Chairman and Managing Director of Sri Manakula Vinayaga Educational Trust, said Indian doctors had the potential to rise to global prominence.

R.N. Kagne, Director of the College, administered the Hippocratic Oath.

K. Karthikeyan, Dean (Academic), M. Pragash, Medical Superintendent, Narayanasamy Kesavan, Secretary, Sri Manakula Vinayaga Educational Trust, D. Rajarajan and D. Nila Priyadharshini, Pro-Chancellors, Takshashila University, S. Velayudham, Joint Secretary, Sri Manakula Vinayaga Educational Trust and K. Soundariya, Deputy Dean Academic (UG) were present.