VIJAYAWADA: Vice-Chancellor of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences R. Sambasiva Rao has said there are no takers for PhD in any of the medical disciplines despite offers of fellowship.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day AOI-AP silver jubilee conference here on Friday, Professor Rao said the university had created 10 fellowships a year ago but was still waiting for doctors willing to take up research work. "We are ready to offer a fellowship worth Rs. 4,000 a month for a minimum period of three years for those interested in taking up P.hd," he said.

Admitting that there was a shortage of faculty in almost every discipline of medicine, he said efforts to fill posts had proved to be futile in the absence of suitable candidates. "We must encourage students to take up research. Not a single medical college has a project worth mentioning," he said, emphasising the need to motivate young blood in the fraternity to indulge in research work.

Important players

"We may be very good in endoscopy or oncological services. But we are not able to effectively handle something as simple as chikungunya," he said in a sarcastic tone. Referring to the large gathering of otolaryngologists from different parts of the country, Professor Rao said ENT surgeons played a very important role as they had control over three of the five human senses (gnanendriyas).

Mayor Tadi Sakuntala urged ENT specialists to extend their services to the masses in rural areas where most of the ailments related to these three parts of the body were caused mainly due to ignorance. She said the ENT doctors should spread social awareness against consanguineous marriages, as they were known to be resulting in deafness or dumbness of the child born of such a marriage.

National president of the association B.K. Roy Chowdary, State president C. V. Ramana Rao, vice-president C. Babji and a host of others were present.

The association also felicitated its past 25 presidents on the occasion.

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