Doctors should prioritise patient care over earnings: Union Minister Pemmasani

Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar on Saturday advised young doctors to prioritize patient care, stressing that the true measure of a physician lies in service rather than income.

Addressing graduates at the convocation ceremony of Guntur Medical College, the Minister said doctors should spend more time with patients than with staff and continuously update themselves on new medicines and emerging medical knowledge.

Congratulating the graduates, he said becoming a doctor requires years of sacrifice, including sleepless nights and time away from families and festivals. “What matters most to a doctor is not how much money they earn but how well they serve their patients,” he said, adding that the principle applies not just in Guntur or Andhra Pradesh, but across the world.

Recalling his childhood in Tenali, he said he often heard people speak with great respect about physician Dakshinamurthy, a sentiment he fully understood only after becoming a doctor himself. “A doctor who serves with sincerity earns immense respect in society,” he noted.

The Minister also urged young doctors to maintain close professional relationships with colleagues and study interesting case histories to build expertise.

College Principal Nagarjunakonda Venkata Sundarachary and Government General Hospital Superintendent S. S. V. Ramana attended the event along with heads of departments and faculty members.