New president of All India Ophthalmological Society calls for reform

BANGALORE, India — After being installed as the newest president of the All India Ophthalmological Society, K.P.S. Malik, MBBS, MS, DOMS, MNAMS, FICS, called for widespread reformations in the society.

"We have bureaucratic functioning in AIOS where anything new is opposed, be it electoral reform, continuing medical education or ethics. Before an idea starts taking shape, a president becomes an ex-president," Dr. Malik said. "I am a different person, friends. I don't give up. I walked 3 miles to school from my village in wild western U.P. My legs became strong enough to stand and fight. I am putting a few ideas before you, and with your support, I intend to pursue them as president or no president."

Specifically, Dr. Malik said he aims to institute absentee voting for AIOS offices so that more than 10% of the 11,000 members can participate despite not attending the annual meeting.

Additionally, he said that he wants to eliminate the requirement that the secretary and treasurer must hail from a metropolitan area rather than a smaller town. Dr. Malik also called for more participation from the "excellent lady surgeons, speakers and academicians" of AIOS, increasing their office holdings from the current 4%.

Looking toward larger issues, Dr. Malik discussed ethics, improving education, monitoring equipment suppliers, and balancing technology and commercial interests.

"Almost every president of AIOS in the last 10 years has emphasized the need for a 'moral code of conduct' for our members, but what we observe is the naked dance of greed, materialism, one-upmanship, advertising, false claims and machine pedaling," he said. "In the process, the humane, caring physician has taken a back seat and this noble, divine profession has taken a nosedive."

Dr. Malik concluded his speech by thanking his family, teachers and peers.