By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA, February 28: His Holiness the Dalai Lama presided over the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine conference at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College near his exile hometown of Dharamshala earlier today.
“This is the first time that IAPSM conference is being held in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and we feel blessed with the presence of the Dalai Lama,” Anil Chauhan, principal of the medical college said in his welcome speech.
Founded in 1974, IAPSM is a non-profit professional organisation of medical specialists dedicated to the promotion of public health and advocates education, research, and programs of community medicine.
Addressing the gathering of over 300 doctors from 24 states in India and Nepal, the Tibetan spiritual leader urged the doctors to work not just for salary but with “care, compassion, and sense of concern” for the patients.
“Don’t be like machines,” the Dalai Lama said. “Treat patients with care and warm heartedness. Love is important.”
Touching upon the “corruption epidemic” plaguing the world, the Nobel Peace Laureate remarked that in a deeply religious country like India, there should be no space for corruption and violence.
“No religious tradition preaches violence, hatred, cheating and corruption,” the Dalai Lama said. “If we adhere to religious tradition, there is no space for corruption and violence.”
The three-day annual national conference of the IAPSM being held at the Sobha Singh Auditorium of Dr. Rajindea Prashad Government Medical college, Tanda in Kangra district was inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal yesterday.
While speaking to Phayul, principal of the college said the focus of the conference was on understanding emerging trends in disease pattern globally and its implications to local conditions.
“This conference which is the 39th in the series, is very important because the conference will not only discuss the health problems in the rural areas but also try to provide solutions to the problems,” the principal said.
Rajendra Prasad Medical College, named after independent India’s first president, provides scholarship to two Tibetan students to study medicine every year.
Kalon Dr Tsering Wangchuk of the Health Department, Central Tibetan Administration and Tibetan Chief Medical Officer Dr Tseten Sadutshang were also in attendance at the conference.
