Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that around 30,000 MBBS seats and 24,000 postgraduate seats in medicine have been added since the present Central government came to power in 2014.
Delivering the convocation address at the 33rd convocation of The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University through video conferencing, he said that the number of MBBS seats have gone up by 50% and postgraduate seats by 80% since 2014.
Stating that the government was keen to transform the health sector, he pointed out that the National Medical Commission, the newly-formed regulatory body, would bring in more transparency.
Pointing out that 11 new medical colleges have been approved in Tamil Nadu in districts that did not have one until now, he said that the Union government would provide funding of more than ₹2,000 crore for each of these colleges.
MGR would have been happy
The Prime Minister lauded the fact that around 70 % of those graduating from the university this year were women. Appreciating all the graduates and the women in particular, he said that their success and the success of the institution would have made the “great M.G.R very happy.”
The late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran’s governance was full of compassion towards the poor, he said. “The subjects of healthcare, education, and empowerment of women were dear to him,” he added.
Recollecting the inauguration of a hospital built with India’s assistance by him in Dickoya in Sri Lanka that served the Tamil community there, Mr. Modi said that it would have made the late Chief Minister M.G.R happy as he was born there.
COVID-19 response
The PM said that India has not only handled COVID-19 better, but also helped other countries by producing medicines and vaccines. Pointing out to the students that they were graduating at a time when the Indian health ecosystem was being seen with new respect, he said that this also meant greater responsibility for them.
He appealed to the medical fraternity to focus on their own well-being as well. He stressed the importance of medical professionals in keeping their sense of humour intact as it will not only help cheer up the patients, but also help the professionals in their physical and mental health.
Sudha Seshayyan, Vice-Chancellor of the university, highlighted that this was the first time in the university’s history that a Prime Minister was delivering the convocation address.
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit presided over the function in the presence of Minister for Health and Family Welfare C. Vijayabaskar and principal secretary of the department J. Radhakrishnan.
A total of 21,889 undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral students received their degrees in medical, dental, AYUSH and allied health sciences courses. While 31 doctoral and post-doctoral fellows attended the graduation, the remaining received their degrees in absentia.
