Interaction and Address at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences

Address

I am indeed delighted to be in the Campus of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and to meet the student community and the Faculty. I have got great respect for the spiritual, educational and medical contribution what AMMA has given to the country, particularly Kerala.

Vision for medicare

A report on "Health Care in India" has been prepared by a panel of leading doctors and medical technologists in the country. It reports the typical problems facing us for two decades in the health care and possible solutions. The expert team has identified eradication of three major diseases viz. Tuberculosis, HIV and water-borne diseases, by next decade followed by cardiovascular diseases, neuro-psychiatric disorders, renal diseases and hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, eye disorders, genetic diseases, accidents and trauma, which need our attention. We should see how the advancement in technology could be put to use to improve the health care system of the country, to cope up with such problems. Such an effort will make cost effective medical technology and devices available and accessible to all the citizens of our country. This will contribute for nation's progress as a strong body and sound minds are essential to accomplish anything.

The report has brought out multidimensions of health care problems in our country. The Vision of providing affordable and effective healthcare to our entire population goes much beyond the capability of any individual, institution or organisation. Technology is an important tool to give fast healthcare and we have to seek its help. This vision has to became a multi-organisational missions leading to the generation of thousands of Goal oriented projects. These projects will have to be supported and nurtured not only by the Government, but also by our industry and philanthropic organisations. The most important ingredient of such a multiorganisational mission will be the leadership decentralised and yet linked together. For example the academic institutions which do research on various technological systems, will be tools for medical-care have to be fed to their knowledge to the industries which not only productionise cost effective medical products but also adopt nearby villages for medical care coupled with education. The hospitals of medical research centres can have umbilical with other R&D organisations for developing indigenous medical care equipments, devices and consumables.

The interfacing between medical science and various other technologies has given rise to numerous techniques both curative and investigative and has provided the research worker with numerous tools to pry into the working of various physiological functions right upto the molecular levels. Developments in bio-technology and molecular biology have now made it possible not only to design drugs for specific properties but also to deliver them to the specific sights where they are most required. Newer imaging techniques have now made it possible to obtain real time images of the various organs at a physiological and biological level and hence the right treatment is possible.

Integrated action for developed India

We have identified five areas where India has a core competence for an integrated action. (1) Agriculture and food processing - we have to put a target of doubling the present production of food and agricultural products. Other areas of agriculture and agro food processing would bring prosperity to rural people and speed up the economic growth. (2) Reliable and quality electric power for all parts of the country. (3) Education and Healthcare - we have seen, based on the experience, education and healthcare are inter related. For example, Kerala with education and better healthcare can bring down the population growth and provide improvements in quality of life of the people. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu also we have seen the downward growth of population resulting from a unique system of "mid-day meal" coupled with education. Studies about Andhra Pradesh also have different facets. These experiences, we feel, should be taken and spread in big states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Beginning of agricultural prosperity through better yields in these States will help this process. (4) Information Technology - This is one of our core competence. We believe, this area can be used to promote education in remote areas and also to create national wealth. (5) Strategic sectors - This area, fortunately, witnessed the growth in nuclear technology, space technology and defence technology.

These five areas are closely inter-related and culminate in 30 IMM 2020 missions leading to national food and economic security. A strong partnership among the R&D, academy, Industry and the community as a whole with the Government departments will be essential to accomplish the vision.

Kerala and Knowledge Society

Major players in Information Technology and IT related services are governed by a few States. In system software, Karnataka is leading; in e-Governance, Andhra Pradesh, IT Services, Tamil Nadu and e-Commerce, Maharashtra. For a knowledge society, the most important IT related service is e-Education.

The core competence of Kerala is well-known. It is the home of the country's Space ventures, the most literate State with less Governmental thrust. Kerala is endowed with indomitable dedicated and educated women force. Keralites are global, as most of them are spread over all parts of the world. Kerala is also well-known for the revolution it has done in the profession of Nursing. Keralites, when they give hardwork and value system to other countries, they have to contribute to rural development based on the best, what they have learned. As e-Education is the most important content of knowledge super power, Kerala should enter in business mission mode. Since India's business will be 50 to 80 billion dollars of IT market in a decade, Kerala has an opportunity in progressing:-

Distant education is a reality,

- Use Kerala's ability to train Keralites in the middle east as they do not get quality education and also need of preserving our culture.

- Kerala is ideally suited for wireless connectivity trials because of low pollution and also maximise use of ISRO,

- Education and health care are always an integrated system.

- As in e-Education, with the core competence of nurses in Kerala, it is possible to a mission for telemedicine networked.

Conclusion

A nation is great, not because a few people are great, but because every one in the nation is great. I wish you all to excel in your studies and become Doctors and Scientists and above all the best human beings with traditional value system and societal care. The challenge in the mission of the developed India calls for an important cohesive and focused efforts of the young. Just like our first vision of Independence created leaders, I am sure you all will rise to the occasion and become leaders in multiple areas. This makes me recall the saintly saying of Maha Rishi Patanjali in Yoga SUTHRAS: "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary task, all you thoughts break their bounds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be".