Vijayawada: Emphasising that the healthcare profession is the noblest of all, state governor and Dr NTR university of health sciences (NTRUHS) chancellor S Abdul Nazeer cautioned the university authorities to remain vigilant against fake certificates likely to be produced by medicos for the one-year mandatory rural health service required after completing their broad speciality postgraduate degree courses.“I have heard some shocking news that fake certificates are being issued, wherein students go to their native places, sit inside their houses without rendering medical services to people in rural areas, and then produce fake certificates,” the governor remarked while delivering his convocation address. He asked the administration to look into the matter, stating: “Rules and laws are made to benefit all sections of society.“Incidentally, the governor’s remarks on the fake certificate issue came at a time when the postgraduate medical students of the broad specialty medical courses from the current academic year are mandated to render one year of rural medical services in AP.Addressing the convocation, Abdul Nazeer said Andhra Pradesh has always been at the forefront of healthcare services and medical education. On the medical education front, the state was making rapid progress compared to the rest of the country and South India.Referring to the measures taken up for strengthening medical education and infrastructure in AP, the Governor said, “A new medical college has become functional in the remote tribal area of Paderu in Visakhapatnam district in addition to 34 existing medical colleges in the state. Action has also been taken to fill vacancies in various categories of the medical and health department over the period.”Further, the governor pointed out that at the state level, village health clinics have been operationalised across the state, and a unique family doctor concept for personalised, home-based treatment has been launched.A total of 53 students were awarded degrees at the 27th convocation, while another 67 students received degrees for the 28th convocation. Further, as many as 72 medals, including 55 gold and 17 silver, and 84 medals, including 60 gold and 24 silver, along with 18 and 20 cash prizes, were awarded to the students for the 27th and 28th convocations, respectively. Additionally, five PhD degrees were awarded along with a super speciality degree.On the occasion, the university presented the DSc award (honorary degree) to national heart institute CEO and chief cardiac surgeon Dr OP Yadava. University vice chancellor Dr P Chandrasekhar, along with DME Dr Raghunandan and others, were present.
