Drawing comparisons with medical indices of UP with Kerala, Ansari said 11 per cent population of the state receives antenatal care compared to 85 per cent in Kerala and only 11.3 per cent institutional deliveries are reported in UP compared to 96.6 per cent in Kerala. Immediately before Ansari’s speech, state Health Minister Anant Kumar Mishra told the gathering that despite financial crisis faced by the state, Chief Minister Mayawati has provided best medical care to the citizens.

Ansari said nearly 50 per cent women in the state between 15 to 50 years suffer from anemia; less than 25 per cent children have been completely immunised and infant mortality rate in UP is 73 per thousand live births as compared to all India figure of 57.

Comparing the life expectancy of 56 years at birth in UP as against 74 years in Kerala, he said: “The state your are born in determines how long you live. It has a disturbing meaning for 180 million population of Uttar Pradesh. These figures have national relevance because UP is home to 1/6th of the Indian population.”

The V-P further said: “Only 9 per cent of the state’s population has access to government facilities for treatment of ordinary ailments. Over 11 per cent of the people are not able to access medical care because they live in remote areas and even when they do access, there is no guarantee of sustained care.”

Also present on the occasion was Governor T V Rajeshwar. He urged the faculty members and students to take up research on stem cell .

Few takers for govt jobs
The clarion call of the Vice-President to medical students for working in rural areas found few takers. “I will not prefer a profession in government sector. It is difficult for you to grow there. The life becomes mechanical and you get limited to treating patients and learn little about latest developments,” said Latika Chawla, the Hewett Medalist for 2008 securing highest marks in final year of MBBS. Incidentally, Latika’s father is in the Provincial Medical and Health Services of the state.

Hall of Fame

* Hewett Medal for highest marks in final-year MBBS examination

2007: Shweta Pandey; 2008: Latika Chawla and Roohi Praveen

* Chancellor’s medal for securing highest aggregate marks

2007: Ruchika Agarwal; 2008: Latika Chawla

* Govila Gold Medal for securing first position in BDS final exam

2006: Aparna Upadhyay; 2007: Deepti Agarwal

Four Honoris Causa Honorary Doctorate degrees were awarded

* Dr Snehalata Deshmukh, former vice-chancellor of University of Mumbai, is a renowned paediatric surgeon

* Dr H L Trivedi, founder-director of Institute of Transplantation services in Ahmedabad, pioneer of nephrology and transplantation sciences in India

* Dr R K Bali, former president Dental Council of India and among the earliest dental surgeons in India, initiated dental ceramics and dental implantology