The Hon’ble Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu today addressed the 46th Annual Convocation of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in presence of Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.Addressing the participants, the Vice President of India stated the Government has planned for rapid expansion of the medical education facilities in the entire country by establishing new AIIMS-like institutions and medical college in the states. “India is making rapid strides in medical tourism with people from other countries coming to our country for a range of treatments from liver transplant to knee replacement, he said.The Vice President said that only the doctors can provide the healing touch to the ailing humanity and they only can make the difference between life and death. Only you can add life to people’s years, he said. The Vice President presented the Lifetime Achievement Awards to Dr. A. K. Saraya, Dr. Samira Nundy, Dr. Kamal Buckshee and Dr. Gomathy Gopinath (in absence) on this occasion. He also presented Gold Medals and Certificates to 31 Medical Students who have achieved highest merit.Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda congratulated all the students and stated that ensuring the highest standards of medical education is a top priority for the government. “We have now planned for a rapid expansion of medical education in the country,” he said.Nadda stated that the Government has undertaken many initiatives to improve medical education in the country. He said that the government has increased the age of retirement of doctors to 65years and is setting up of more medical and nursing schools, multi-skilling of doctors to overcome the shortage of specialists, he added.Shri Nadda further said that the Phase-I of National Cancer Institute (NCI), hospital and residential complex at Jhajjar AIIMS with Project Value of about Rs. 2035 Crores shall be made functional by next month.
“Since 2014-15, the Ministry has granted permission for establishment of 118 new medical colleges including 54 in the Government sector.The country has now 502 medical colleges with more than 70,000 MBBS seats. We have been able to add over 18,600 UG seats and 12,000 PG seats,’ Shri Nadda added. He further said that the Government has taken various measures to facilitate the setting up of new colleges. “The norms for medical colleges have been rationalised. The country has now around 46,000 PG seats including DNB & CPS,” he mentioned.In his address, Shri Nadda said, that under Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) programme, the government is providing assured universal healthcare to over 50 crore people from the poorest, vulnerable and marginalised sections. “I am happy to share that since its launch more than 4.5 lakh people have already availed of benefits of PMJAY, the world’s largest public health programs,” Shri Nadda said.The Union Health Minister further said that AIIMS has made enormous contributions to patient care, research and education. The brand of AIIMS is recognized and respected world over. AIIMS has been making multifaceted contributions with distinctions, by training hundreds of graduates, postgraduate, in service trainee doctors and nurses; research in priority areas and support to the national programs and other organizations and institutions, he elaborated.Shri J P Nadda, also awarded degrees to 671 graduating students.Also present at the function were Prof. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS New Delhi, Prof. V.K. Bahl, Dean (Academics), AIIMS New Delhi, Dr. Sanjeev Lalwani, Registrar, AIIMS New Delhi along with faculty members, scientists and the students.