The union health and family welfare ministry is to start three new national programmes on diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases and speech and hearing soon.

Stating this at the annual day and Convocation of Lady Hardinge Medical College and its associated hospitals here on Friday the union minister for health, family welfare and Indian Systems of Medicine, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss exhorted the students to inculcate a feeling for serving the rural masses who do not have access to good healthcare. The minister said that 75 per cent of doctors serve the 25 per cent of the population living in cities whereas 73 per cent of the rural masses are not attended to.

Lauding the college for its pioneering effort in bringing women into the medical profession, the Minister said that women over the years have proved to be more competent and perhaps 25 years down the line, men will have to fight to retain their positions.

The minister said that the challenge before the country was to reduce infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate. He said, he was sure that the young medical professionals would help in bringing down the mortality rate in mothers and children by assisting in deliveries. The minister said that he was in favour of revamping the medical curriculum to introduce new areas like minimum invasive surgery, study of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and osteoporosis. The curriculum should be made practical-oriented, rural-oriented and social-oriented, he said.

Dwelling on the development project for the Lady Hardinge Medical College, he said that a comprehensive re-development plan for the Institution would start in a few months. This will include renovated departmental buildings, new equipments and construction of new OPDs. Part of the programme also included new structures for the Kalavati Saran Children's Hospital.

The minister gave away degrees to under-graduates and post-graduates.

Earlier, the director general of health services, Dr. S P Agarwal distributed medals and prizes to meritorious under-graduates and post-graduates students as well as senior residents and nurses for their outstanding contribution to patient care.