Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Director V. Kamakoti on Saturday said there was an urgent need for increased collaboration between engineers and doctors to reduce India’s dependency on import in healthcare-related technology, including equipment, consumables and implants.
Delivering the convocation address at the 34th convocation of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) here, he said there was a need to develop indigenous technology to democratise healthcare to ensure affordable and quality treatment for all.
He said the country was importing medical equipment, which are sold at an “unimaginable profit.” With the country reaching its centenary year of Independence in another 25 years, he said India should be made independent in the fields of technology and medicine.
Mr. Kamakoti appealed to doctors to develop interest in data science, which he said was important for research. Pointing out that the Western countries were already using data extensively, he said India, however, had a unique advantage as it was sitting on a “gold mine” of healthcare data. Owing to the volume of patients, Indian hospitals were generating tons of data, which has to be understood and interpreted towards furthering research, he said. With the University Grants Commission now issuing guidelines allowing students to pursue two degrees simultaneously, doctors should come forward to pursue a degree or diploma in data science, he added.
Alternative medicine
Claiming that certain treatment processes developed during COVID-19 in the Indian systems of medicine proved to be “extremely effective” on an individual basis, Mr. Kamakoti said there were, however, a lot of hurdles in getting international acceptance.
He appealed to doctors to make efforts to get increased acceptance for the Indian schools of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha. These systems address the root of the problem by boosting immunity, he said, adding that they would have a bigger relevance in the future as the world was witnessing new diseases, viruses and their variants.
A total of 965 students received their degrees. P.V. Vijayaraghavan, vice-chancellor, SRIHER, presented the annual report, highlighting the volume of research being done by the institution with a specific focus on interdisciplinary research. He said 90 research projects were being executed with a grant of ₹54 crore with 75 % participation from women. V.R. Venkataachalam, chancellor, presided over the function.
