Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jan 14: The first South India Unit of Unesco chair in bioethics and update on bioethical issue was inaugurated at Father Muller Medical College (FMMC) at a programme held at Decennial Hall of the College here on Thursday January 12.
 
Dr Sundar Sarukkai, director, Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities, Manipal University, Manipal was the chief guest for the inaugural session. In his address, he said that the issue of ethics in the medical field needs attention.

"Medical profession is a service oriented profession and doctor is a service provider, however, fundamental conflict between medical profession and ethics in the contemporary world needs to be addressed by considering the importance of bioethics seriously," he said.
 
Guest of honour Dr Russel D’Souza, Asia Pacific Network UNESCO Chair in Bioethics in his keynote address said that globalization which has brought medical profession under commercial domain has led to the need for realizing ethical aspects of the field. The new chair set up in Father Muller Medical College will collaborate with nodal centers and universities to inculcate the understanding of ethics in future doctors.
 
In his presidential address, Fr Patrick Rodrigues, director of FMCI said that in the days where consumerism is acting as the driving force and technology is playing a predominant role, doubts are being raised about medical profession, which in turn has raised the need for focusing on ethics in the profession. "As the President of India recently said, about the fact that 46 % of children in the nation are undernourished, and thus it is time to ask ourselves the question about our priorities."

He also said KSHEMA and other institution have come forward already to collaborate, and that the chair aims at developing a syllabus and training programme for teachers to imparting ethical values to doctors. Dr Russel D’Souza will be the visiting professor, he said.
 
Faculty members and students were present on the occasion. Dr Princy Louis Palatty delivered the vote of thanks.