Bengaluru, June 16 (IANS). Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday appealed to newly graduated medical professionals not to limit their services to urban areas only.
Addressing the 28th annual convocation of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences held at the GKVK campus, the Chief Minister said, “India is passing through an important phase of social and technological change. There has been significant progress in medical education and health services, but health services should reach rural areas also. By providing services in villages and small towns, you can prevent people from migrating to cities for treatment.”
The Chief Minister appealed to doctors to maintain the faith given to them by ‘God’ and the society, saying that they play an important role in the lives of people.
He said that people come to doctors with utmost trust in their most difficult times, hence medical professionals should maintain this trust through their dedicated service.
The Chief Minister said that the medical profession is full of constant challenges and tough competition. Referring to his international experiences, he said that doctors from Karnataka, especially Indian doctors, are providing services in many reputed hospitals of the world.
He said, “The medical education provided in Karnataka and the quality of health professionals here is unmatched. The talent, dedication and professional standards of the doctors here are recognized globally.
Emphasizing on access to equitable health services, he asked the newly graduated doctors not to be limited to urban areas only.
The Chief Minister also supported the campaign for drug-free India, Karnataka and educational campuses. He praised Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil and said that he has set a new level of discipline and commitment in the department.
He said that the strength of a university is not the number of students or degrees, but the quality of its teachers.
The Chief Minister said, “Teachers should be guides and role models for students and should inspire research and innovation. The Government of Karnataka is committed to provide all possible assistance to the university.
Describing this occasion as his first address after becoming the Chief Minister, he also shared his life’s journey.
He said, “I was born in a farmer family, became an entrepreneur by profession, chose the field of education and came into politics due to my interest.”
He informed that Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences is one of the largest health sciences universities in the country, which has 1,044 affiliated colleges and lakhs of students are studying under it.
The Chief Minister said Karnataka produces around 72,000 health graduates every year, including 13,940 doctors, making the state a major contributor to the global health workforce.
He said that Karnataka has become a hub of talent not only in the IT sector but also in the health sector. The state has 72 medical colleges, more than any other state in India. Bengaluru has approximately 26 lakh IT professionals and has become a hub of global innovation.
The Chief Minister described Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences as a strong pillar of Karnataka’s health infrastructure and recalled the vision of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, after whom the university is named.
He said, “Rajiv Gandhi believed that education was a strong means of social equality. This university has produced approximately eight lakh graduates in the last three decades and its objective is to provide health services to every section of the society.
Sharing his personal experiences, the Chief Minister said that he was not able to complete his degree in his youth because he had entered politics while still a student. He completed his degree from Mysore University in 2008 at the age of 47.
He said, “Today I have got this opportunity to serve you all. History repeats itself. You graduate today and have a bright future ahead of you. The world is looking at us.
He asked the youth to pursue their goals with honesty and determination and achieve great success in life.
–IANS
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