The Hindu : National : 700 AIIMS students awarded degrees

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Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007
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700 AIIMS students awarded degrees

Staff Reporter

Minister Anbumani Ramadoss urges medical professionals to return to India

— Photo: PTI/ Manvender V. Love

Union Minister for Health Anbumani Ramadoss with AIIMS Director Venugopal at the 35th convocation in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: Over 700 students were awarded degrees at the 35th convocation of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences held at the institute’s Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium here on Tuesday. Present on the occasion were the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and institute president, Anbumani Ramadoss, and institute director P. Venugopal. Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was the chief guest.

Congratulating students on their achievements and encouraging them to be responsible professionals Dr. Ramadoss, in his address, said:

“I want to remind all medical professionals that they should stay in India. We encourage you to go outside learn more but do return to India, your country needs you. The second thing that I want to emphasis is ethics. All medical professionals should remember that this is the central thought to their work. The third most important lesson that I want to touch upon today is the need for patient safety. “The World Health Organisation too has indicated the need for maintaining holistic treatment and medical professionals should keep this in mind while treating. I would also like to draw your attention to the need for more focussed approach to research. While AIIMS has contributed to being among the pioneering in the field a lot more needs to be done.”

The Union Minister also shared with the audience, which comprised senior AIIMS faculty, resident doctors, students and their parents, details about his Ministry’s work in the area of the National Rural Health Mission and the plan to open six AIIMS-like institutes.

“Our National Rural Health Mission is beginning to show good results and we hope that you will play an important and productive role to ensure that programmes benefit the poorest of the poor in the country,” said Dr. Ramadoss.

Listing the achievements of the Institute, Dr. Venugopal said: “Our institute is like an oasis for the poor patients in the country and our cutting edge technology and skilled workers ensure that we are able to offer the very best to all patients who come to us. The institute has registered progressive growth in all areas including expansion of infrastructure and medical facilities for the patients. What we should strive for is to ensure the health care becomes more personal and productive for the patients. We should also work towards making health services cost effective for all.”

Dr. Venugopal said:

“The biggest achievement for the students today is the feeling that you belong to reputed and powerful institute.”

Chief guest Dr. Ahluwalia said: “While we have registered progress in the field of health care, new challenges and problems have emerged out of the lack of development and knowledge. Problems like anaemia, high infant and maternal mortality rate, lack of sanitation are areas that need our immediate attention. We need more skilled professional in the rural health programme, also the Govt. is planning to increase its contribution to health services and look into bringing in health insurance, which should go a long way in ensure affordable health care to all.”

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