People moving towards wellness, PM tells doctors

Calling upon doctors to be compassionate towards patients, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told the medical fraternity that people were now moving from treatment of illness towards achieving wellness.

"Doctors who focus on patients were more successful than those who focus on the disease. Be compassionate (to patients) as doctors. Common people consider you as gods. Address wellness and well being, not the illness alone," the prime minister said in his address at the 34th annual convocation of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here on Friday.

"You are doctors not a mechanic. Doctors also deal with tools. But doctors don't deal with a machine but with a living being. Only knowledge not important, you have to build the human bond with patients. Technology has improved a lot to help you," said Modi.

"Things are changing in our society. People want to be away from medicines. They want to move from treatment of illness to wellness. Yoga is one tool to achieve that," he added.

The prime minister pointed out that the overwhelming support received from 177 countries which supported the resolution on making June 21 as the International Yoga Day showed how important it was to achieve wellness through Yoga.

Urging doctors to think about their obligation towards the poor people of the country, Modi said: "Many of you must have ready passports or applied for visa. But you have an obligation towards the poor of its country."

He added: "This convocation does not mean the end. It marks a new beginning. You don't become doctor just by studying for 4-5 years. Many people contribute, including ward boys serving tea at late hours, in making of a doctor."

While pointing out that the convocation was being held on 9/11 (September 11), which reminds the world about the 9/11 terrorist attack in the US, Modi said: "To kill very easy, but to keep someone alive or to give life is more important. You doctors are doing that."

The prime minister pointed out that he had urged the PGIMER authorities to invite students from poor background for the convocation ceremony.

"Children from poor background are attending the convocation. They are the chief guests of this convocation. They are our real chief guests," Modi said to applause from the gathering.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said that the PGIMER had been consistently resolving health issues faced by people in the region.