PGI Mourns the Demise of Former Dean Prof.Chaudhury

By 121 News

Chandigarh 28^th October:- A condolence meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Yogesh Chawla, Director PGI today to pay homage to the departed soul of Prof. Ranjit Roy Chaudhury, former Dean who passed away on 27.10.2015 in Delhi.  Rich tributes were paid by Prof. P L Sharma, former Dean and Head, Department of Pharmacology and Prof. Subhash Varma, Sub Dean, PGI.  Faculty members, the administrative staff and the resident doctors joined to mourn his death. 

Professor Ranjit Roy Chaudhury was a leading medical researcher, a specialist in medical teaching and a health planner for the country. He served as Dean at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh and in senior positions in the World Health Organization. He chaired the Sub-Commission of the National Commission in Macroeconomics and Health and the National Committee for Postgraduate Medical Education set up by the Government of India. He was also a former member of the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India. He had written twenty five books and had been bestowed many honours including the D.Sc. of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Professor Roy Chaudhury's research work was in the field of reproductive pharmacology, rational use of medicines and in traditional systems of medicine. He was responsible for establishing the D.M. Course in Clinical Pharmacology at Chandigarh in 1978 which remained–the only such course in Asia for many years.  As President of the Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs he and his team set up a system where, without any additional expenditure, patients at the hospitals of the Delhi Government could obtain, free, 90% of the drugs prescribed for them. Before this "Delhi Model" was introduced they used to receive only 25 to 30% of the drugs prescribed. This model is now being introduced in several countries including China. As the Founder President of the Delhi Medical Council Professor Roy Chaudhury set up a transparent and equitable system of governance for regulating the medical profession. This included mandatory continuing medical education for doctors before re-registration, developing a Code of Ethics for the doctors, establishing a fair system for taking disciplinary action against doctors where needed and also protecting them against unnecessary harassment. Professor Roy Chaudhury had been honoured by the Delhi Government by being awarded the Delhi Ki Gaurav award and being bestowed the title of Padma Shri.