Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said doctors must strive for transformative leadership keeping in mind core values of profession and function as ideal healers of poor patients.
Speaking after conferring degrees on students at the seventh convocation of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), she said that although it was essential for professionals like doctors, teachers and police officers to look after their families, there should, at the same time, be promotion of core values and adherence to dedicated services.
It would be really painful if the majority of the professionals were concerned about elevation in their career without any thought of serving the country.
Attitude for core values
If professionals do not have the attitude to promote core values and are keen on personal greed, self and elevation to the higher ranks they would only be ordinary human beings and selfish, she said and called for a change in this attitude.
Ms. Bedi pointed out that people in public service should not forget that they have a purpose to transform the society. So transformative leadership is the need of the hour and they must focus on ameliorating the lot of the poor.
This was particularly relevant for doctors because doctors would be approached by patients who do not have resources but who would be grateful if they were relieved of their ailments. Doctors should function as effective healers and there could be no second thought on this, she said.
Doctors must be sensitive and responsive to the health requirements of the people. The government has been spending massively for infrastructure and doctors passing out of the institutions should remain grateful to the nation and should respond to the challenges of requirements in health sector, Ms. Bedi added.
Video message
Earlier, in a video message circulated on the occasion, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda said that institutes of national importance like JIPMER had the responsibility of taking the lead in providing health care professionals. They should develop strategies and models of health care systems that could be adopted with optimal use of resources in the various health settings of the country.
The government would encourage all positive initiatives in this regard. Though rapid strides in medical technology have helped in better management of patients, the services are expensive and generally out of reach of the common man, he said, adding that health administrators, scientists and doctors have a duty in bringing the fruits of such technological advances to all those who need them at an affordable price.
M.K. Bhan, president of JIPMER said the quality of medical service and equity should be maintained to champion the challenges faced by doctors. Doctors must be adaptive to the changing scenario and emerge as the leaders in the profession in the context of the 21{+s}{+t}century.
Doctors should not close their eyes to the million of people who do not have proper access to treatment and should face the challenges with utmost resolve and a determined approach, he said.
Degrees conferred
Degrees were conferred on 246 successful students of JIPMER from various disciplines. They include Ph.D. - 6, M.Ch. - 14, DM – 14, Post-Doctoral Fellowship – 14, MD – 50, MS – 20 and MBBS – 128. After administration of Hippocrates oath to the Medical Graduates, scrolls were presented tothe candidates by Ms. Bedi.JIPMER also honoured the best students, interns, and doctors of various streams who excelled in their academics by securing highest marks in respective subjects, shone in socio-cultural activities, and showed exemplary attitude and effort in the service to the patients. Medals and Endowment Prizes were also presented to 59 candidates
