Bengaluru, Nov. 5: A national-level socio-medical voluntary organisation is held its 7 th All India Medical Conference at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute( BMCRI) on November 4th and 5th, 2023.
The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. M V Nadakarni(Honarary Visiting Professor, ISEC.Former Vice-chancellor ,
Gulbarga University) where he said that doctors needs to have social perspective which this conference its broader vision has addressed. He spoke on the Health Situation in India and Health Policies. He highlighted that India ranks 132 of 198 countries as per HDI 2022 and fell by 2 ranks in a year during COVID-19 which impacted the migrant workers and Human Development Index.
He mentioned that though the vaccine programme was made free, the treatment for COVID wasn’t free which is a flaw in the health system. Global hunger index of India is below Pakistan and stands at 111 and mentioned that the methodology of such calculation is wrongly interpreted based on the fact if a person is hungry. In fact, it is calculated based on the deficiency of calories, proportion of underweight, mortality rate. He quoted that as per WHO,India is way below the other developed countries for food security and where a country like India though Insurance exits it is majorly for formal sector and it’s a challenge for covering informal section.
He mentioned that though maternal mortality rate decreased it is still higher than countries like China and said that shortage of doctors is very high compared to China which is a representation of unequal distribution across states in India . Availability of doctors is proportional to purchasing power which is clearly an impact due to commercialisation of health. He said that Doctors should take pride in serving instead of making profits. Hence a universal health care should be launched which is an urgent need ensuring high quality of infrastructure. Medical Education today has become profit oriented. Instead this should become service oriented just like how Medical Service Center today is working. Education and Healthcare must be free and universal.
Dr. K. Lakshman(Chairman Reception Committee, 7AIC-MSC,Consultant General Surgeon, Bengaluru) and Prof. Dr.
Ramesh Krishna K( Dean and Director, BMCRI) welcomed the dignitaries and guest speakers on the dias. They mentioned that the organisation has addressed important issues of the medical science and its contribution to society and the success of the conference lies in the active participation of delegates.
Dr. Tarun Mandal (Former MP LokSabha ,Member of Standing Committee on health) said that Medical Health in a
country like India lacks basic primary health for a 142 crore population. After 75 years of independence, India stands low in health parameters with the Govt Expenditure less 1% of Budget. He said that Health Insurance today is just a coverage and not universal health care. MSC was born of this agony that exists in the country and said that health is our birth right from womb to tomb.
This organisation works amongst Professors, Doctors and grassroot level health care workers. He mentioned that India is slowly becoming the hub of diabetes, with high Malnutrition and with a ratio of 1 doctor serving 1000 people, along with commercialised medical education where no medical ethics are taught people destroying the medical education and services. He said that the so called autonomy of medical colleges is to direct towards corporate hospitals. All the property of medical colleges and hospitals are people’s property and it’s time to give back something to society. Medical Service Center is working on this which includes doctors from all systems of medicine, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians & other health care professions, apart from students.
Prof. Dr. Vinayak Nerlikar(President, Medical Service Center) in his presidential address said that the conference today will
address on various issues and requested for the participation of delegates across the country.
Hold high the Nobel banner of Medical Ethics Dr. Bijnan K Bera(General Secretary,MSC) congratulated the audience for being part of the inauguration and highted thation of Medical Service Center which is working across the countries.
Dr. Kafeel Khan(Consultant, Paediatrician,Uttar Pradesh) was also present. Video messages from Prof. Dr. Shekhar P. Sheshadri, Senior Professor (Retd.) Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS & Dr. Farokh E Udwadia(Critical care Specialist,Pulmonologist,Intesivist, Mumbai) were played in the conference Other guest speakers included Dr. Prabhu Dev, Former VC, Bangalore University. Former Director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research. Prof. Dr. K. Ravi, HOD, Medicine, BMCRI,Dr. Dharmananda, Consultant Rheumatologist, Bengaluru,Prof. Dr. Mradul K. Daga, Former Director, HOD, Medicine, MAMC, New Delhi,Prof. Dr. U. N. Sarkar, President, MSC, WB State Committee & Former HOD CTVS, IPGME & R, Kolkata,Prof.Dr. Asima Banu, Principal, BMCRI,Prof. Dr. Manoj Kumar H.V (Director & Dean, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College & Research Institute, B’lore),Prof. Dr. B. S. Ramesh (Principal, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore) ,Dr. Yogananda Reddy (Consultant Pediatrician, Former President, IMA, Karnataka) and Dr. Arvind Patel (Consultant Surgeon, Ballari, Former office bearer IMA, Karnataka & Surgical Society of Karnataka) Dr. Ashok K. Samanta, Founder General Secretary, MSC (Pioneer in health movement & medical ethics).
The pioneers of Medical Science such as Florence Nightingale, Norman Bethune were garlanded.
