Healthcare Infrastructure Expansion and AIIMS Foundation Day Address
Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel addressed the 71st Foundation Day celebrations of AIIMS New Delhi, highlighting significant transformations in India's healthcare and medical education landscape. Since 2014, the number of medical colleges has increased from 387 to over 800, while undergraduate medical seats have expanded from 51,000 to nearly 1.3 lakh, accompanied by substantial growth in postgraduate opportunities. The government envisions adding another 75,000 medical seats to further strengthen this framework.
AIIMS New Delhi has grown from a single institution to a network of 23 AIIMS institutions across the country. The institution recorded massive clinical volumes in the past year, including more than 50 lakh outpatient visits, over 3.5 lakh patient admissions, and nearly 3 lakh surgeries. Significant medical advancements included the milestone of more than 1,000 robotic surgeries and the successful performance of India's first reported robot-assisted kidney transplant in a public sector institution. The institution also doubled its dialysis capacity and undertook over 300 highly complex super-microsurgical procedures.
Technological Integration and Human-Centric Healthcare
Smt. Patel emphasized that technology must complement rather than replace human clinical judgment, noting that AI cannot replace physician's intuition, robotic arms cannot replace surgeon's judgment, and technology cannot replace the human presence of nurses. She stressed maintaining balance between scientific advancement and human touch in healthcare, while calling for improved patient experience through better navigation, empathy, clear communication, and patient-centered care.
Preventive Healthcare and National Programs
The address highlighted the growing importance of preventive healthcare, particularly for non-communicable and lifestyle-related diseases, and referenced the National Health Policy 2017's shift toward prevention and health promotion. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) has completed eight years and covered more than 62 crore beneficiaries, providing financial protection to vulnerable families from medical treatment costs.
Capacity Building and Indigenous Innovation
AIIMS New Delhi was called upon to function as a national hub for capacity building and indigenous medical innovation, with emphasis on developing, validating, and implementing indigenous medical technologies rather than relying on imports. The institution was urged to contribute to an ecosystem where India not only adopts but also develops advanced healthcare solutions. Smt. Patel also emphasized the importance of healthcare professionals' own health and well-being.
Exhibition and Community Outreach
As part of the celebrations, Smt. Patel inaugurated the 'AIIMS: Seven Decades of Healthcare Innovation' exhibition showcasing the institution's journey through 95 posters highlighting milestones and achievements. The exhibition includes health education and community outreach activities, with over 1,500 school students participating in interactive displays and live demonstrations on BMI assessment, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, blood sugar testing, eye problems, dental hygiene, organ donation, and CPR training from September 25th to 27th, 2026.