Valedictory speech-Desai-Chicago

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VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
Ladies and Gentleman,
It was on 21st October, 2016 that with all humility I had the profound privilege of
taking over the reins of the prestigious World Medical Association as its
President. In my presidential address delivered thereat, I had flagged of
important and vital issues in various domains, which needed effective, prompt
and timely tackling in the larger interest of medical profession, professionals and
legitimate rights and interests of men and mankind beyond considerations of
discrimination and differentiation.
My mission as WMA President brought out very clearly from the word go was to
bring to the centre stage the core issue of ‘professional autonomy’, which is
paramount and under any circumstances is not open to any concession,
condonation, compromise or marginalization in any form, mode and manner.
In addition the other important issues that I had flagged pertained to
augmentation of the membership of World Medical Association, emphasis on
mental health, meaningful incorporation of the core concepts of equality, justice
and equity.
Further, bringing to fore the inevitable necessity of zero tolerance against sexual
violence, gender selection, cuts commission and kick-backs being resorted to by
the medical professionals bringing shame to the profession as a whole was of
equal priority and importance. Sex selective abortion was yet another important
aspect brought out for the purposes of desired advocacy so as to generate impact
of consequence.
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Another arena which was emphasized upon was the concept of ‘World Health
Keeping Force’ to be invoked by the desired initiative on part of all the National
Medical Associations across the world on the lines of ‘World Peace Keeping
Force’, which have proven to be of relevance for its targeted objectives and
purposes.
At the second conference organized by World Veterinary Association and World
Medical Association held in Japan on 10th and 11th November, 2016 on the
thematic concept of ‘One health’ it was emphasized unequivocally that concept
that integrates the meaningful rendering of health to men and animals alike
along with environmental and plant health alone would genuinely cater to the
cause of life and living in the world.
The mandate of Zero Tolerance in terms of the needs for invocation of a binding
policy against sexual violence, gender selection has been emphasized in the
keynote address delivered at the NATCON-2016 organized by Indian Medical
Association at Amritsar, Punjab on 27th and 28th December, 2016.
On 14th January, 2017 the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Chinese Medical
Association organized at Nanjing, China was inaugurated whereat the issue of
membership of China and that of Taiwan in World Medical Association also came
to be discussed at length with the counterparts.
In this very vein the issue of sex selective abortions was raised in the Annual
Conference of FOGSI held at Ahmedabad in State of Gujarat in India on 26th
January, 2017, which was attended by well over 12,000 Gynecologists drawn
from different parts of the India and many other countries. Equal emphasis was
laid pertaining to the issues of sex selection and also that of maternal mortality.
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An International Summit on the vital theme of ‘Air Pollution’ organized by Indian
Medical Association was inaugurated on 10th March, 2017, in the august presence
of Dr. Yokokura the President of JMA and President Elect of WMA, whereat the
significance of environmental health linked with Air Pollution was brought out in
all its dimensions and manifestations and various advisories on the said count
came to be generated for their necessary incorporation in the policy making
frame by the various countries.
The emphasis on focused inculcation of the core concept of equality, justice and
equity has been emphasized during the 12th World Conference on Bio-Ethics,
Medical Ethics, and health laws held on March, 21-23, 2017 at Cyprus, so also it
was brought into focus that the medical students anywhere in the world should
not be subjected to any discrimination of any type resulting in any inequality
issues. They need to be dealt by the appropriate authorities with firm hand in
such a manner which should invoke the required deterrence on such issues.
At the Council meeting at Zambia on 20th April, 2017 addressing the media at a
press conference it was made known that it is imperative that the budgetary
allocations for health on a priority basis is substantially increased so as to alter
the health scenario in a positive and pragmatic way in the larger interest of the
citizens of Zambia to give them meaningful life commensurate with legitimate
expectations.
It was at the International congress on Heart Hypertension and Diabetes”
organised by Heart Foundation of India held at Dubai on 5th May, 2017 that the
need of affordable tertiary healthcare was emphasized so that it is within the
reach of even marginalized section of the impoverished society. In terms of this
very initiative and venture of ensuring ‘affordable healthcare’, through
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appropriate policy interventions by the Government of India and the initiative of
Indian Medical Association has resulted in the required ‘cost reduction’ by the
Government of India, vide an appropriate ‘capping’ with reference to ‘knee
replacement operations’ and ‘coronary stents’, which has brought the same into
an ‘affordable zone’, to be within the reach of the common man which was
illusive hitherto.
The initiatives successfully ventured into by the Indian Medical Association
having paid significant meaningful dividends need to be replicated by the various
National Medical Associations of the Member countries to reap similar dividends
for the similarly placed, which in my opinion turns out to be a real service to the
cause of humanity.
On 8th May at the 10th Geneva Conference on ‘Person Centric Medicine’ it was
categorically emphasised that scientific evidence based medicine should be
person centric in the best interest of the patient and precisely the same would be
the face of the future medicine for the men and mankind in offing.
On 21st May, 2017 had the privilege of interacting with the office bearers of
Common Wealth Medical Association, WONCA and Junior Doctors Network in
United Nation Office during the World Health Professionals Alliance meeting
whereat important issues pertaining to professional autonomy and ethical
professional practice came to be discussed in their various manifestations and
required initiatives to be initiated by the various countries in terms of required
policies in consultation with their respective National Medical Associations.
The practice amongst the profession to resort to ‘kick-backs – cuts and
commission’ in grossest possible breach of ethicality, morality and value based
considerations has been condemned at all forums in no uncertain terms and
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accordingly the Indian Medical Association has come out with an explicit policy
made known to all concerned to the effect that those members found to be
indulging in the same, by invocation of disciplinary jurisdiction their
membership of the Association would be summarily terminated. The same has
resulted in appropriate signals reaching the professional community and the
deterrent impact thereto is decipherable.
Under this very initiative Maharashtra a progressive State in India has ventured
in to propose a legislation on imposing prohibition on the said unethical
practices amongst the medical professionals, where under stringent penalties
stand incorporated, which would be causing the required deterrent. The group
constituted for the said purpose by the Govt. of the State of Maharashtra includes
the President of the State Indian Medical Association as an Ex-officio Member
and the contribution thereto in shaping the same is substantially significant.
On the front of uncompromised ‘professional autonomy’ the IMA invoked a public
movement against the invocation of policy intervention, whereby an attempt is in
vogue to repeal the present Indian Medical Council Act governing the regulatory
Medical Council of India by National Medical Commission Bill, which is primarily
aims at taking away the representative character of the regulatory body and
replace it with a nominated body, which will also include non-professionals in a
substantial number and would be reduced down to a sub-department under the
government negating the much required professional autonomy in all its forms
and manifestations. The movement has gathered a significant momentum under
the aegis of Indian Medical Association.
The positive indulgence on part of the medical professionals in the larger human
interest necessitates rendering them required ‘security and safety’. The infliction
of the violence at the drop of the hat merits to be done away with. It was on this
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very count that the Indian Medical Association gave a clarion call in response to
which well over 10,000 medical professionals all over the country on 6th June,
2017 gathered at a historic rally in New Delhi, which aired its concern for
extension of merited safety and security to the medical professionals in India by
suitable policy interventions at all levels.
During the Annual meeting of the American Medical Association held between
10-14th June, 2017 undertook the privilege of having meaningful interaction with
Dr Madera CEO AMA, Ms Liyah Secretary General Israel Medical Association, Dr.
Yokokura President JMA, and President Thailand Medical Association Prof Dr
Saranatra Waikakul on vital areas of cause and concern alike.
In the address made at the meeting of Confederation of Medical Association of
Asia and Oceanic countries on 29.09.17 in Tokyo, Japan, the Indian position in
regard to legality, social ethos, medical norms and practices pertaining to ‘End of
Life’ was brought to fore, wherein it was emphasized that the constitutional
position bringing out right to dignified life as a fundamental right vested with the
citizen ought to include right to decent and dignified death.
Addressing the Central Working Committee meeting of the Indian Medical
Association held between 23rd to 24th Sept. 2017 at New Delhi and also the
celebration of Centenary of Medical Conference in India, the paramount need for
ethics based medical practice was emphasized. The Centenary Indian Medical
Association Award was also ceremonially conferred.
All over initiatives and efforts need to be viewed in the backdrop of the material
reality that in all fairness we need to accept that the ‘Global tranquility’ has
substantial reason to feel potently threatened. This is primarily due to
broadening of the ‘disparities and inequities’ resulting in security and safety
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being put to stress and generating palpable discontent, which otherwise was
simmering in character.
In the context of my yearlong occupancy as the President of the premier World
Medical Association I need to state with all conviction at my disposal that it is
imperative for all across the ‘geographical borders’ to be alert and conscious to
the dictum that ‘poverty anywhere is an inevitable threat to prosperity
everywhere’. On this very count the ‘Global Developmental Profile’ cannot turn a
blind eye to this material reality. Independent of the cause and causation the fact
remains that ‘inequity’ would inevitably entail ‘discontent’ resulting in
‘discomfort’ and manifesting in an ‘uncontrolled rebellion’. Whether world would
be able to sustain the same in the context of its bitter experiences of the two
worst fought ‘World Wars’ in the 20th Century, the ‘scars’ of which haunt us
incessantly till date. The material question therefore is has the world taken right
and desired lessons out of the same? The palpable answer, with its ugly raised
head turns out to be ‘no’ and that operationally is the root cause of plaguing
‘inequities and inequality’.
As such, the human emancipation and development across the geographical
boundaries carved out on the Globe, mandates true and real essence of ‘equity’
and ‘equality’ in the domain of ‘legitimacy of fulfillment of human expectations’
and ‘desire of decent and dignified human life’ in the lap of ‘human culture and
humanized civilization’.
It is amongst such ‘distorted deviations’ that the medical profession has to rise to
the occasion in the larger interest of ‘men, mankind, culture and civilization’ in
unison to bridge the vital gaps that have been stonewalled for various reasons of
‘narrow mindedness, hate, bigotry and insensitivity’ plagued by utter and gross
‘selfishness’ paramount in nature and unending in character.
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The challenge is huge in magnitude and gigantic in its existence. The efforts and
the initiatives that have been undertaken have not been sufficient to even cause a
dent to it much-less being sufficient for its eraser. The real test is not extension of
‘lip sympathy’ to the needy and helpless but the core requirement is extension of
a ‘helping hand harboring a healing touch’. The divine angel women Mother
Teresa very candidly observed to deal such inclinations through her candid
words to the effect that ‘a hand extended in help is far more superior to the two
folded in prayer’. It is here that the real trajectory of doing good in a meaningful
sense and a bonafide purpose lies.
We have been able to do reasonably well, but yet much is required to be done.
This is possible only by a genuine hand holding and availing the prestigious and
all important forum of World Medical Association to move with devoted
commitment to impact various policy frames which would go a long way to make
the mother planet earth a better place for human habitation and co-existence.
Under a notable initiative by the Indian Medical Association through series of
‘Public Advertisements’ in leading dailies, mass awareness on matters of health
including public health and professional issues in a thematic manner were
prominently focused in public and professional interest. The major thematic
depictions prominently included “Avoidance of treatment from fake doctors, fair
compensation for better accountability amongst medical professionals, ‘Beti
Bachao’ (Save daughters), Zero tolerance for cuts and commissions and vital
aspects of public health”, which evoked a very huge and powerful response from
all the stakeholders. On 2nd October the World Non-violence Day which is the
birth day of legendary Late Mahatma Gandhi an apostle of non-violence and who
gave the world the modality of assertion through “fasting” the Indian Medical
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Association gave a call for “Dawn to Dusk” fast by all the members of IMA across
the country to press for the acceptance of demand in the interest of profession
and professionals by the Government of India. In response to the clarion call well
over 3,00,000 medical professionals, who are the members of IMA
wholeheartedly participated at the said fast on the very lines of the global
concept given by Mahatma Gandhi to the world.
I shall be failing in my duty if I do not record my sense of thankfulness and
gratitude to all the members of the Council, officials of the World Medical
Association and representatives of all the National Medical Associations of
Member countries for their valuable support in my endeavor, which I revere and
would love to cherish all my life. I am sure that coming times would see a new
‘twilight’ for a better ‘dawn’ for the entire humanity.
Thank you,