President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, 6 October underscored the transformative reach of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), noting that more than ₹2 lakh crore has been spent on medical treatment under the scheme, which now covers over 50 crore beneficiaries and provides health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year to economically vulnerable households. She was speaking at the first convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh.

President's Call to Reach Remote Communities

President Murmu called on healthcare stakeholders to ensure that information about government health protection measures reaches people in far-flung and inaccessible areas. She emphasised that AIIMS Bilaspur, given its geographical location in the hills, carries a special responsibility to strengthen tertiary healthcare across the region — through telemedicine, expert consultations, training of medical personnel, and the adoption of modern technology.

'The field of medicine is not just a field of science and technology. It is actually a field of compassion and trust as well,' President Murmu said, urging the graduating doctors to keep the needs of underserved populations at the heart of their practice.

First Graduating Batch Conferred Degrees

The President conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of AIIMS Bilaspur, asking them to remain lifelong learners who keep pace with evolving medical practices. She encouraged them to translate research into innovation that meaningfully improves people's lives, particularly those with limited access to specialised care.

Medical Education Expansion: Key Numbers

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda, also addressing the convocation, highlighted the sharp expansion of medical education in India over the last 12 years. According to Nadda, the number of medical colleges has risen from 384 to more than 800, while undergraduate medical seats have grown from 51,348 to 1.42 lakh.

Nadda shared the government's target of adding 75,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats by 2029, backed by an outlay of ₹15,000 crore for 10,000 additional MBBS and PG seats. He also highlighted that the AIIMS network has grown from a single institution to 16 new AIIMS established in the last 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

AIIMS Bilaspur's Growth in Five Years

Nadda noted that AIIMS Bilaspur has surpassed its original target of 750 beds, now operating with 776 beds, 26 specialties, and 15 super specialties. The institute offers complex surgical procedures, cardiac catheterisation interventions, neurosurgery, cancer care, and radiotherapy services — all achieved within five years of becoming operational.

Outpatient (OPD) consultations at the institute have crossed 12 lakh and in-patient (IPD) admissions have exceeded 1 lakh over the last four years, according to Nadda. The milestones signal that the institute has moved well beyond its initial phase and is emerging as a referral hub for the hill state and its neighbouring regions.

The convocation marks a significant milestone for AIIMS Bilaspur and for healthcare access in Himachal Pradesh — a state where mountainous terrain has historically made specialist medical care a distant prospect for many residents.