By Dominick Rodrigues/Arunkumar Rao
Bengaluru : “Global preventive healthcare should be a priority” – is the lesson learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the world in its marauding rampage while claiming millions of lives and bringing industry to a standstill.
This message was echoed by President of India, Ram Nath Kovind while addressing the 23rd Annual Convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka in Bengaluru recently.

“The first major pandemic in over a century has taught us to be better prepared for unforeseen public health crises and heeding the warnings of .scientists – that Covid-19 seems to be a rare, one-of-a-kind health-crisis – highlighting greater attention to public healthcare as a priority” he said while emphasizing to the students on how their entry into this noble profession opened up unforeseen and unprecedented opportunities to serve humanity.

Noting the latest Union Budget had recognized ‘health and well-being’ as one of the six crucial pillars of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat, he said boosting healthcare infrastructure in the country is being given strong emphasis and effective utilisation of this national resource would be possible only with their active support and contribution.

“Healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo a change at all stages – prevention, diagnosis and treatment. No single entity in the healthcare sector can deliver results and achieve outcomes. The evolution of the sector calls for active involvement and participation of all stakeholders and the use of innovation to bridge intent and execution,” he said.

The President lauded the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences — one of the largest networks of affiliated institutions in the world – for leading many innovations in the field of healthcare education and emerging as a globally credible brand due to the sustained efforts made by the leaders of this university since its inception.