AIIMS students urged to stay and work in the country

[sajiv]

NEW DELHI: Underlining the shortage of doctors in India, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday appealed to students at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here to stay and work in the country.

Speaking at the 36th annual Convocation of AIIMS, the Minister told the graduating doctors that they had been given quality education at the country's premier institute and they were all a valuable commodity in the light of the huge shortfall of specialists in the country.

"The Institute has not only given you the knowledge but also a robust framework of ethics and values. Like earlier, my message to you is: stay put in India," Dr. Ramadoss said.

Chief guest
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chairperson R. K. Pachauri, who was the chief guest at the Convocation, seconded the Minister's advice and said: "There is tremendous spiritual and professional satisfaction to be gained by working in India."

The Minister announced that a second campus for AIIMS would be established soon. "Talks are on for 300 acres with the governments in the National Capital Region. This will be a great boost to the facilities and research prospects in AIIMS," he noted.

High-end research
Dr. Ramadoss said AIIMS was not just providing medical care but also contributing to high-end research, quality education and policy advice to the Government on various issues including the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Dwelling on NRHM, the Minister spoke about the progress made in the direction of the rural health infrastructure. Hh also announced that the National Urban Health Mission covering the urban slums would be launched by this month-end or early next month.

"Also the National School Health Programme will be screening children all over the country for various health-related issues," he added.

Over 300 students awarded degrees
Over 300 students, including medical graduates, nurses and post-graduate medical students, were awarded degrees at the Convocation.