Andhra Pradesh: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Monday urged medical institutions to strengthen research and innovation to address pressing healthcare challenges, while stressing that technology cannot replace compassion in the doctor-patient relationship.
Addressing the ruby jubilee celebrations of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, he said the next frontier in medical education must be research that delivers solutions for humanity.
V-P Radhakrishnan encouraged the university to collaborate with leading institutions to give students and researchers greater exposure to advanced research and emerging technologies. He expressed hope that its researchers would earn global recognition, including the Nobel Prize, through their contributions to medical science.
While artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine and advanced diagnostics were transforming healthcare, V-P Radhakrishnan said their use must be guided by scientific validation, patient safety, data privacy and ethical responsibility. Compassion and human connection must remain central to medical practice, he added.
Highlighting the expansion of medical education, the Vice President said the number of medical colleges had more than doubled from 387 before 2014 to 846. MBBS seats had increased by 172 per cent, from around 51,000 to over 1.4 lakh, while postgraduate seats had risen by 177 per cent, from around 31,000 to more than 86,000.
Congratulating the university on completing 40 years, V-P Radhakrishnan said it embodied the vision of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. He described NTR as a leader whose vision and public service extended beyond regional boundaries to the welfare of the nation.
The Vice President also called on doctors and healthcare professionals to lead awareness efforts against drug abuse. Describing the fight against drugs as a collective responsibility, he urged the medical fraternity to help build a drug-free society.
During the programme, V-P Radhakrishnan joined participants in taking an anti-drug pledge and released a souvenir commemorating the university’s four-decade journey.
Andhra Pradesh Governor and university Chancellor S. Abdul Nazeer, state minister Kolusu Parthasarathy, Vice-Chancellor P. Chandrasekhar and National Medical Commission’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board President M. K. Ramesh were among those present at the event.
[DD news]