Students graduating from medical colleges have to learn lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, and dedicate themselves to serving the poor and the needy humanely, advises Sowmya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva.
“The COVID pandemic has thrown a tough challenge to the medical fraternity and scientific community worldwide, and, at the same time, prompted us to concentrate more on research and development,” Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan said while addressing the outgoing medical graduates and post-graduates at the 11th convocation of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) University in Tirupati on Saturday.
Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan said India found itself on the global map following its tremendous success in large-scale production of the COVID-19 vaccines compared to the world nations.
“You (the outgoing students) should not miss the lessons learned from the pandemic. You should continue to face every challenge with tremendous willpower. Top priority has to be given to the digital technology, through which research studies would receive the much-required fillip. The goals of higher education set in 2015 have to be achieved at a faster pace,” Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan said.
Health university
Speaking on the occasion, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman and SVIMS University Chancellor Y.V. Subba Reddy said the TTD would soon launch S.V. Health University in Tirupati, under which all the medical colleges and teaching hospitals in the region would be brought through a pact with the DRDO.
Announcing the institution of gold medals and citations to the meritorious students of SVIMS at an annual cost of ₹11 lakh from his own funds from 2023, Mr. Subba Reddy said, “The TTD will always be in the forefront to create world-class facilities for medical education and healthcare. Due importance will be given to organ transplantation, and creation of a rehabilitation center for cancer patients in Tirupati.”
TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy reiterated the TTD’s commitment to replicate emerging trends in medical care in its hospitals.
“SVIMS has attracted multitudes of poor and needy patients not only from Andhra Pradesh but all over India,” he said.
SVIMS Director B. Vengamma and senior officials of the TTD and SVIMS took part in the convocation.
Earlier, Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegates led by District Immunization Officer (Chittoor) P. Ravi Raju felicitated Dr. Sowmya Swaminathan.
In all, 487 undergraduate and post-graduate degrees were awarded to the students. Thirty-five students received gold medals on the occasion.
