First Convocation of AIIMS Bhubaneshwar held

Odisha: The first convocation of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha saw The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu stating that doctors must be trained to be more sensitive to the sufferings of patients. The Governor of Odisha, Shri Ganeshi Lal, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J.P. Nadda, the Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Odisha, Shri Pratap Jena and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

“It gives me great pleasure to be a part of the first convocation ceremony of AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The first convocation of any institution is an important milestone as it signals the culmination of training of the very first batch of students which reflects that the institution has come into its own. I congratulate all the students graduating today on this glorious occasion. You have made your parents and teachers proud! I convey my best wishes to all of you on your future plans." he said

The Vice President asked the doctors to be abreast with modern methods and latest trends in their fields of specialization. He further said that they should focus on disciplines such as family and community medicine. This will help in providing comprehensive health care for people of all ages in families and communities, he added.

The Vice President said that Medical Education curriculum has to be constantly updated by including the latest developments and methods of treatment.

The Vice President said that there is shortage of physicians, other specialists and nurses in the country and stressed on the need to increase the number of medical colleges and also expand medical services to every nook and corner of the country. The government is doing its best in this regard, the corporate sector and NGOs must come forward to supplement the efforts of the government, he added.

The Vice President said that it is a matter of concern that the absence of qualified medical practitioners is making people to go to quacks. We need to overcome the acute shortage of health providers as also the infrastructure in rural areas, he added.

Highlighting on the need to accord priority to primary healthcare and tertiary healthcare, the Vice President said that there is a need to increase the number of doctors available at health care centres residing in rural areas. It should be mandatory for young doctors to serve at least two-three years in rural areas before considering promotions for them, he added.

AIIMS Bhubaneswar is one of the six new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna which was announced in the year 2003, to address the regional imbalances in tertiary healthcare. The then Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the Foundation stone on July 15th 2003. The institute welcomed its first batch of 50 MBBS students on 21st September 2012 and first batch of 60 Nursing Students on 1st September 2013, all of whom graduated recently