New Delhi: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, graced the 107th Annual Day and Convocation Ceremony of Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) in New Delhi on February 26, 2024.
In her address, President Murmu highlighted the evolving landscape of medical science, emphasizing that its scope has significantly expanded beyond traditional treatment methodologies. She noted the convergence of the physical, digital, and biological realms, driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The President acknowledged breakthroughs in synthetic biology and cutting-edge techniques like CRISPR gene editing, emphasizing their potential to address long-standing challenges. However, she also cautioned against the misuse of such technologies and expressed confidence in the medical fraternity’s commitment to ethical practices and high values.
President Murmu underscored the integrated approach of ‘one health’ and encouraged the medical professionals to work towards solving challenges arising from the intersection of various realms.
Doctors, she said, are often considered akin to gods by the public, and she urged them to recognize the moral responsibility associated with this perception. The President emphasized that true success for healthcare professionals lies not only in professional competence but also in embodying human values such as compassion, kindness, and empathy. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, she referred to knowledge without character and science without humanity as sins, emphasizing the need for healthcare professionals to prioritize service over self and not merely pursue monetary gains.
President Murmu commended Lady Hardinge Medical College for achieving the status of an Organ Transplant Retrieval Centre. She noted the initiation of the Comprehensive Antibiotic Stewardship Program to address antimicrobial resistance and highlighted LHMC’s participation in the iDrone Initiative for Blood Bag Delivery in collaboration with other institutes. The President expressed satisfaction with LHMC’s collaboration with the Government of Norway to establish the National Human Milk Bank and Lactation Counseling Center ‘Vatsalya – Matri Amrit Kosh.’ She expressed confidence that this initiative would contribute to raising awareness about breastfeeding and reducing infant mortality rates.