"Earlier, when meritorious students went abroad and were asked why they were going to London, they complained about the lack of facilities," he said. (PTI Photo)
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said medical aspirants are free to go overseas, but they must not say infrastructure is lacking in India. Young doctors can no longer complain about a lack of facilities in the country, Nadda said.
Addressing the 21st convocation ceremony of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) here, Nadda said, “Institutions are here, facilities are here, and infrastructure is also here. Make use of them.” The minister said the number of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the country has gone up to 23 under the current central dispensation.
“Today, I can say with pride that while there was just one AIIMS before, now there are 23 AIIMS under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Therefore, our students can no longer complain about a lack of facilities and infrastructure,” Nadda said.
“That is why I say policymakers do make a difference … Today, we are not only catering to the health services of India but the entire world,” he added. Nadda said the Ayushman Bharat scheme gives Rs 5 lakh health cover to over 62 crore people, making it the “world’s largest” such programme.
Addressing young doctors, Nadda said medical education or any other higher education is not a birthright, unlike school education, but is a privilege that very few get. “That is why you should acknowledge the privilege and give back what you owe to society. On average, Rs 35 lakh in expenditure is incurred on making a doctor,” he said.
The minister also praised young doctors who work for “36 hours straight” and urged them never to ask others for “certification” for their good work; instead, let “perseverance and job satisfaction” do the work. He called on the graduates to upgrade themselves with emerging technologies and work for humanity.
The convocation was presided over by Governor Anandiben Patel. Union Minister of State for Finance and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Minister of State Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh were among those who addressed the ceremony.
“KGMU is a place where working itself is a matter of good fortune. Through your skills, hard work and commitment, you have achieved what can be called making the impossible possible,” Nadda said.
He also congratulated KGMU for establishing itself in cornea, liver and kidney transplants. “If I say that KGMU has not only served the nation but has served humanity across the world, it would not be an exaggeration,” Nadda said.
Patel, also the Chancellor of the university, said medical education is complete only when it is anchored in compassion, empathy, and a spirit of service, becoming a means for the welfare of humanity.
She said empathy towards patients, responsibility towards society and a sense of duty towards the nation form the true identity of a doctor. A physician does not merely administer medicine but also offers trust and emotional support, which can change the course of a patient’s life, she added. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who holds the health portfolio in Uttar Pradesh, congratulated the students on receiving their degrees.