SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL, AT THE INAUGURATION OF JSS MEDICAL COLLEGE SILVER JUBILEE SEMINAR ON "DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL HEALTH" AND JSS SCHOOL GIRLS HOSTEL BUILDING

Suttur, 9th May, 2009

I am happy to be here with you today, at the JSS Mahavidyapeetha which comprises a number of faculties and colleges such as the Medical College, Dental College and College of Pharmacy in Karnataka as well as colleges in some other states.

I am also very happy to inaugurate the Silver Jubilee Seminar on "Development of Sustainable Rural Health", organized by the JSS Medical College. I am told that students in the Medical College here are not only taught the skills required in the medical profession, but emphasis is also placed on serving society through the practice of socially meaningful medical education, research and healthcare. Rural development and reaching health facilities to all our villages is an area where there is a need for sustained focus and continuous efforts. I hope the Seminar will create interest in the students to go to villages and do humanitarian work there. The discussions in the Seminar should help define what is meant by sustainability of rural health? What are the parameters? How to maintain its standard? Who will ensure it?

For any country, the welfare of its citizens is of utmost importance, and provision of healthcare is fundamental for the well-being and, indeed, for the progress of the country. Healthy individuals can contribute more productively to the progress of the nation.

We have gained significant achievements in health parameters since our independence, such as increase in life expectancy and eradication of some endemic diseases. However, a lot has to be done to achieve the development goals like reducing the Infant Mortality Rate and morbidity among the population.

Meeting the health needs of the over one billion population of our country requires the expansion of health services along with ensuring quality service across a vast spectrum of healthcare. These should be our objectives. An efficient healthcare delivery system has to ensure that affordable medical facilities are available to all sections of society, especially to the disadvantaged sections of society and those living in rural areas for whom access to medical facilities is not easy. Our healthcare system faces various deficiencies ranging from shortages of doctors, paramedics and infrastructure and their uneven spread across the country. 75 percent of our medical facilities are located in urban areas while 70 percent of our population lives in villages. This highlights the great need to improve medical facilities in rural areas. We would need more and more doctors and more and more facilities for our population across the entire nation.

Functional partnerships between the community, Government and the private sector to meet these challenges, with a focus on the social aspects of providing medical assistance can be the effective pathway for the future. Such partnerships between the Government and Private Sectors are essential in the rural areas, where latest medical facilities are not available.

I am, therefore, happy that the Mahavidyapeetha has taken up the task, of making the village of Suttur a "Model Healthy Village" through its Model Health Village Programme. I am told that over the past five years, comprehensive surveys of the entire population of the village were conducted to take care of health problems. I would suggest that efforts for preventive care should also be strengthened. Although, it may be correct that our villages are not as yet suffering from lifestyle diseases, such as cardiac problems, diabetes and stress related disorders, the JSS Mahavidyapeetha could also look into the preventive aspects of the occurrence of these medical problems.

I would urge special attention on the health problems of women in rural areas, as it deeply impacts on the rural economy, the family and the community as a whole. NGOs, other social organizations and prominent doctors in and around villages could be asked to participate in this initiative. I would like to mention a scheme started in Purandar Taluka of Pune in which, women villagers from different communities who have studied till middle school are given training in the local language, for providing basic medical help to villagers. Trained doctors are always available to these women on walkie-talkies in case they need advice in serious cases for which even trained doctors can also be sent to attend to the patient. In addition to providing this basic medical help, these women as a value addition, also work on social issues such as urging mothers to send their children to school. As a result school drop out rates have gone down. Women have become more participative at local Panchayat meetings on issues affecting them. The overall effect has been an improvement in the social atmosphere and in the resolution of village problems.

The education of women and the girl child is a very important aspect in our roadmap for development. Most of you will be familiar with this saying of Kuvempu the famous Kannada poet,

This means that education should make the minds of students as fertile and productive as paddy fields. Education should empower individuals not only to take their own decisions and earn a living, but make them thinking people who can contribute positively to the nation and enrich society. Much has been done for the education of women, yet much remains to be done. I am happy that one aspect which can be useful in helping young women during their education has been catered to by the JSS Mahavidyapeetha through the establishment of the Girls' Hostel at the JSS School, which I have inaugurated. I am sure that the hostel shall provide a safe and healthy atmosphere for all the girls residing there. If such an atmosphere is provided, girls can do well in their studies. Our women and girls are no less talented than our men. What is required, is proper encouragement and a conducive atmosphere.

In recent weeks we have witnessed unfortunate incidents of ragging in colleges which is emerging as a problem on our campuses. I am deeply concerned about these incidents. I saw the agony of parents who lost their child in a ragging incident. These are intelligent and brilliant students. Those new students who are subjected to ragging can go through a range of emotions from fear to humiliation. It is a crime against humanity. I urge all students to be more responsible and sympathetic in their behavior, especially senior students while dealing with junior students. Seniors always have the greater responsibility of making their juniors feel at ease in their new environment. Not only students but parents, teachers, managements, University authorities and State Governments should also take up this initiative seriously. If need be there should be legislations on this to prevent ragging.

Universities are centres of learning. Here, there should be a congenial environment for developing mutual respect, friendship and understanding. I urge the youth of the nation to channelize their energies towards positive activity. There is much that they can contribute to the development of our country and everyone looks forward to their role in the great task before us. A positive approach will not only benefit them, but will also be for the good of the nation.

I convey my best wishes for the success of this Seminar marking the Silver Jubilee of the Medical College.

Thank you.

JAI HIND.