Bathinda: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday expressed concern over the drug addiction problem, saying it not only affects an individual but also the country and its economy as she underscored that doctors have an important role in freeing people from this scourge. Addressing the convocation ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, President Murmu also spoke about obesity and called for immediate steps to prevent it, saying the disease should not become an obstacle in the country’s development.
She asked researchers to develop accessible technology for cancer screening.
In her address, the president said for citizens, AIIMS means the best and affordable treatment and for students, AIIMS means good facilities for higher education and research.
To provide excellent tertiary healthcare at affordable cost and promote research and development in the medical field, many AIIMS have been established in the country, she said.
Murmu said prestigious institutes like AIIMS must remain at the forefront of research and innovation along with treatment.
The president appealed to all stakeholders of AIIMS, Bathinda to develop it as a regional centre of medical excellence through their research and medical service. She emphasised that the focus of their research should be on solving global as well as local health issues.
“We all know that the habit of drug addiction not only harms an individual, a family and society, but also the country and its economy,” Murmu said.
“Doctors have an important role in freeing people from this addiction. They (drug addicts) should be provided proper counselling and treatment. They should be made aware of physical and mental damage caused by drug addiction. As a public awareness campaign, spiritual and social organisations should also be associated with it,” she said.
Referring to a recent report which predicted that in the coming few years, obesity will become a very big problem, the president said obesity is not only a problem in itself, it also causes many fatal diseases like heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.
“Obesity should not become an obstacle in the development of the country, so immediate steps need to be taken to prevent it. Proper diet and active lifestyle play an important role in preventing obesity. But there are many other factors which are responsible for the disease. More research is needed in this area.
“For those who are not able to adopt an active lifestyle due to some reason, it is important to find an alternative solution,” she said.
She further pointed out that another study has found that the death rate due to cancer is very high in India.
“The main reason for this is the late detection of this disease. Our researchers should focus on developing low-cost and accessible technology, so that cancer screening can be done in the early stage. By detecting this disease in the primary stage, lives of people can be saved,” she noted.
Murmu said she had been told that the number of cancer patients in the Malwa region of Punjab is higher than the national average.
“Generally, excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers and polluted drinking water are responsible for this. I appeal to the doctors of AIIMS, Bathinda to do in-depth research regarding this problem.
“For this, take help of agricultural experts, environmentalists and technical experts and suggest people to adopt proper lifestyle and agricultural practices on the basis of research findings,” she said.
Stating that doctors have been given a very high place in society and that they are expected to have professional competence as well as human values like kindness and sympathy, she asked them to understand this moral responsibility and work accordingly.
