Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday urged the new generation of doctors to work in the rural areas of the state so that the people of those areas can avail better healthcare services.
While speaking as the chief guest at the 2nd convocation of the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences at GMCH Auditorium in Guwahati, chief minister Sonowal referred to the improvement in the infrastructure in interior places while calling on the young doctors to work in villages to improve public healthcare facilities there.
Sonowal said, “Medical profession is a noble profession. Society gives special status to doctors as they render lifesaving services to those who are in need and that is why, they must also strive to live up to the people’s expectations through dedicated service.”
Saying that the state government was working hard to develop the public healthcare sector of the state and setting up several new medical colleges to produce doctors as part of the endeavour, Sonowal asserted that the state government is working towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making a healthy nation.
He also urged the doctors and medical specialists of the state to strive to make Assam a medical hub of South East Asia taking advantage of Act East Policy initiated by the Modi-led government at the Centre.
Speaking on the occasion, Assam health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the total seat capacity in medical colleges of Assam has been increased to 726 from earlier 391 which would soon be further increased to 1000.
Sarma also said the state government has taken steps to start new courses like biomedical engineering and the government’s endeavour to take Rs 3000 crore loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would positively impact medical education in the state.
Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria said that doctors have an important role to play in nation building process and they must render their services with a humane outlook while facing challenges in delivering holistic healthcare services.
Sonowal presented the degree and diploma certificates to the students of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences at the programme and also conferred lifetime achievement awards to ten doctors for their contributions to the medical field.