AP Governor urges people to help poor COVID-19 victims

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan urged people to help the poor and the downtrodden people during the COVID-19 pandemic as they could not afford the high cost of treatment. He said in the face of COVID-19 third wave, doctors must come forward with courage and dedication to serve the people, particularly those who are neglected and who have no means to come to the hospitals.

He was speaking, virtually, at the 22nd and 23rd convocations of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences held in Thummalapalli Kala Kshetram in Vijayawada.

Addressing the students, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university, said the poor have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the doctors have a great role to play in helping these people and trying to find out their financial condition and extending all possible help to them.

The Governor praised the work done by the entire medical community and the support staff during the pandemic and said not only he but the entire country, including the Prime Minister, have praised their work and called them frontline warriors. He said without doctors coming forward and fighting against the pandemic, it could not have been possible to successfully come out of the first wave.

He further said that people did not predict that the second wave of COVID-19 would pose such a great menace to society but the situation became grave and dangerous and many lives were lost. Now, the third wave has set in and it is the duty of the doctors to come forward again with courage and dedication to serve the society, serve the people, particularly the people who are neglected, and who have no means to come to the hospitals.

James Hospital (Coimbatore) chairman Dr. C. Palanivelu and Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (Hyderabad) chairman and founder Dr. D. Nageshwar Reddy were chief guests at the event. Dr. P. Syama Prasad, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, delivered the welcome address and read out the annual report of the university.

Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences presented 50 gold medals, 21 silver medals, and 19 cash prizes to 58 students of the 22nd convocation and 57 gold medals and 22 silver medals for 67 students of the 23rd Convocation. Honorary degrees were presented to five students in Ph.D, a super-specialty degree to one student, and PG degrees to 18 students.