AIIMS Nagpur emerging as quality medical hub: President Murmu

Nagpur: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday described All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur as a rising centre for quality medical education, research and healthcare, invoking its motto "Swasthyam Sarvārtha Sādhanam" (good health is the means to achieve all goals), and urged graduating students to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct as members of its early batches.Addressing the institute's 2nd convocation, the President stressed that medicine must be practised as a service to humanity, where compassion, integrity and a patient-centric approach remain central despite rapid technological advances. "Doctors not only treat diseases but also instil hope and strength in patients and their families," she said.The event was attended by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union MoS for health Prataprao Jadhav, along with faculty, students and their families. Dr Anant Pandhare, president, AIIMS Nagpur, and Dr (Prof) Prashant P Joshi, executive director and CEO, AIIMS Nagpur were present.Highlighting national healthcare progress, the President said flagship initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana have expanded access to affordable treatment, with over 43.5 crore cards issued, providing coverage of up to Rs5 lakh per family annually. She also noted the establishment of nearly 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and improvements in infrastructure, critical care and digital health services, alongside efforts to eliminate diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy.Murmu said tools like artificial intelligence and digital health can bridge rural-urban gaps but cannot replace compassion, honesty and human touch in care. She encouraged graduates to pursue lifelong learning, innovation and research while staying grounded in ethical values.During the ceremony, degrees and gold medals were awarded to students across disciplines, including 129 MBBS, 29 MD/MS, 35 BSc (Hons) Nursing, 5 MSc and 12 allied health sciences graduates. Among top achievers were Dr Vedavati Bandyopadhyay and Dr Sunkari Sri Hari Babu in MD/MS, MBBS topper Priyanka, Vaidehi J Loya in general medicine and Nikita Joshi, Tauseef Ahmed Laskar and Arsala Parveen in nursing and allied programmes.