Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda addressed the 10th Convocation of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in New Delhi on June 30, 2026. He emphasized the government's comprehensive approach to strengthening medical education under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, focusing on both infrastructure (hardware) and ecosystem development (software).
Nadda highlighted significant expansion in medical education infrastructure, noting that the number of AIIMS has increased to 23 operational institutions, with 16 new AIIMS becoming operational under Modi's leadership. Medical colleges have expanded from 387 to 818 nationwide, while undergraduate medical seats have increased from approximately 50,000 to over 1.20 lakh. Postgraduate medical seats have grown from around 30,000 to over 80,000, significantly strengthening specialist doctor availability.
The government has set a target of creating an additional 75,000 undergraduate medical seats over the next five years, with nearly 25,000 seats already added toward this objective. Nadda also emphasized the importance of preventive healthcare through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which have established over 1.85 lakh centers as first points of contact for healthcare services.
Significant screening achievements were reported: over 42 crore individuals screened for hypertension resulting in 7.3 crore diagnoses, over 42 crore screened for diabetes detecting nearly 5 crore cases, over 35 crore screened for oral cancer detecting over 2.3 lakh cases, over 16 crore women screened for breast cancer detecting over 86,000 cases, and over 9 crore women screened for cervical cancer detecting approximately one lakh cases.
Nadda stressed that the vision of a Viksit Bharat can only be realized through a Swasth Bharat, with preventive healthcare, early screening, and timely diagnosis remaining central pillars of India's healthcare strategy. He urged graduating super-speciality students to uphold medical ethics and contribute to building a healthier India.