SRMC - Press Release

Doctors should be given incentives to go to rural areas and private and corporate hospitals should adopt specific villages and provide medical facilities, said Dr.C.Rangarajan, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, while delivering the 10th convocation address of Sri Ramachandra University here today.

Government and the private sector he said should share the responsibility in strengthening health facilities in rural and remote areas. “The government cannot abdicate its responsibility of creating and nurturing centres of excellence in teaching, treatment and research. It also has the responsibility to create conditions for private institutes of high standard to flourish. The private sector cannot consider health purely from a profit motive, devoid of social responsibility”, he said.

Emphasising the need for medical research, Dr.Rangarajan said,. “modern day diseases are getting more complicated requiring constant investment in new drugs or completely new types of treatment — for example, the emerging field of gene therapy. Apart from more public investment in medical R & D, there is a wide scope of teaching institutions like Sri Ramachandra University to partner with the private sector in securing research funds. This will provide more avenues for young students to pursue a career in medical research”.

The Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University, Thiru.V.R.Venkataachalam administered the pledge to 776 students graduating under various categories, of which 411 were women candidates. Dr.Rangarajan gave away 44 medals to meritorious students.

Earlier in his report the Vice Chancellor Prof.S.Rangaswami highlighted the milestones achieved by Sri Ramachandra University during the year, like the creation of a Central Research Facility, establishment of a world standard Central Animal Facility for development research and toxicology, recognition of SRU as a centre for MRCP (UK) Part II clinical examinations by the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Recognition of SRU by the WHO as a Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Occupational Health, accreditation of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of the Department of Human Genetics and ten years of alliance between SRU and Harward Medical International.

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For more information please contact T.G. Nallamuthu, Consultant Media Relations, SRU 94442 65578, nallamuthu@hotmail.com