“In addition to the world-class tertiary healthcare, the government is also focused on improving the quality of care through tertiary, primary and secondary healthcare systems.” This was stated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Union Home Minister during his address at the 44th Convocation of AIIMS, New Delhi, here today. He further said that in view of the population pressure in the country the government is trying to bridge the gap between demand and supply of quality healthcare through public private partnerships (PPPs) where the private sector is being roped in. Shri Manoj Sinha, MoS for Telecommunications and Railways also graced the occasion.The Union Home Minister stated that though the government has successfully overcome many health challenges, there are many health frontiers that still need to be conquered such as malaria in the country. The Home Minister further drew attention towards hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness which play a crucial part in preventing many diseases and urged citizens to contribute to the “Swacchata Abhiyaan” started by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. Shri Singh also said that the Institution is a nursery of medical talent and it needs to expand to meet the growing need for medical human resource in the country. He informed that the expansion plans for the Institution have been taken up and are underway. “I am experiencing an ‘inspirational’ and ‘spiritual’ moment here, as you all are in the field where lives are saved. Doctors experience deep satisfaction after saving patients and successful treatment. Hence, the profession of doctors is a very noble task,” Shri Rajnath Singh added.
Delivery the Presidential address at the convocation, the President of the Institution and Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Shri J P Nadda stated that ensuring the highest standards of medical education is a top priority for our government and 6 AIIMS have already been made operational and 12 new AIIMS are being set up in different parts of the country to set standards of medical education and healthcare at par with the best institutions in the world. “Existing premier medical colleges are also being upgraded with top notch infrastructure and facilities. Medical teachers will also be closely involved in policy planning, regulation and enforcement of standards in medical education,” Shri Nadda added.The Health Minister assured that the Government is committed to ensuring that the new AIIMS will meet the same standards of service as AIIMS, New Delhi. No effort will be spared to make them the very best, he added. Shri Nadda stated that AIIMS has created a benchmark in the field of healthcare not only at the national level but internationally also. It has a great testimony and we must try to replicate it in the new AIIMS, he added. He noted that the new Institutes will be “AIIMS” and not “AIIMS-like”. “Innovation for cost effective and affordable healthcare is the need of the day. To take up all these challenge AIIMS needs strengthening and expansion of its facilities. Which we are committed to provide,” Shri Nadda said.
The Health Minister stated that India faces the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases unlike many other countries which have to address only one of these and the government is moving forward on various internationally mandated health indices. “AIIMS influences the health scenario in the country not only directly by providing state of the Art healthcare to almost 40 lakh patients a year; but also indirectly, first by training hundreds of graduates, postgraduates and in service trainee doctors and nurses; second, by research in priority areas; and third by support to the national programs and other organizations and institutions. AIIMS has been making these multifaceted contributions with distinction,” Shri Nadda said.Shri Nadda reiterated that 'health for all' is a national goal and a priority for the Government and the Ministry is committed to doubling the capacity of AIIMS, Delhi in next two years. “The Government of India is tackling this by rapidly increasing the capacity for training undergraduates and postgraduates in existing medical colleges, and also by establishing new medical colleges,” the Health Minister added.
During the function 693 students received their degrees. Shri Nadda also gave away the lifetime achievement awards. Congratulating the students and the other awardees, the Health Minister advised to explore possibilities to establish interdisciplinary research groups to address larger research priorities, the grand challenges of basic, translational, clinical and public health research. “New solutions in healthcare are inherently complex and cannot be cracked without interdisciplinary expertise. Multidisciplinary teams are the need of the hour. I would like you to forge research coalitions that span different department of AIIMS, as well as reach out to other centres of excellence and researchers in the country,” Shri Nadda elaborated.A commemorative stamp was also unveiled to mark the Diamond Jubilee Foundation Year of AIIMs, Delhi. The Health Minister also inaugurated the first advanced cardiac Dual Source Dual Energy CT Scanner in India. This advance high end CT scanner is the first of its kind in South Asia and is capable of doing every cardiac acquisition within few seconds, virtually eliminating challenges related to heart rate and patient motion. It is versatile equipment for investigating various cardiac vascular disease states.Also present at the convocation function were Prof. M C Misra, AIIMS Director, Prof. Balram Airan, Dean AIIMS, senior officers of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with faculty and students of AIIMS.