75,000 additional Medical Seats in Next 5 Years: Health Minister Nadda

Belagavi: Further expanding opportunities in medical education, Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda announced that the government aims to add 75,000 new medical seats across the country over the next five years.

Nadda highlighted the government's remarkable achievements over the past decade, including a 130% increase in undergraduate medical seats -from 45,000 to nearly 1.2 lakh, and a 138% rise in postgraduate seats.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the focus of India's national health policy is to develop a ''holistic health care system'', which not only focuses curative part in health care but also emphasises on the preventive care, palliative care, rehabilitative care, geriatric care and promotional health care, said the Union Health and Family Welfare minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda in Belagavi while addressing the newly passed out students from several branches of healthcare education at 15th Convocation of KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER).

The 15th Convocation of KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research was held at JNMC Campus in Belagavi recently. The convocation event was graced by the presence of Hon. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemical & Fertilizers Shri JP Nadda as the Chief Guest and Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy Shri Pralhad Joshi as the Guest of Honour.

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On this occasion Dr Shailesh V. Shrikhande, Deputy Director, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai was conferred with the honorary Degree of Doctor of Science to mark his exemplary contribution to the field of medical sciences. Dr. Prabhakar Kore, Chancellor, KAHER presided the event and Dr Nitin M. Gangane, Vice Chancellor presented the University report.

Shri Nadda congratulated the students for their hard work and also to the parents, faculty members and the entire ecosystem of KLE for playing an important role in their success. The Minister advised these young medicos to be responsive to society’s needs and also develop an understanding of the health policies of the country. The Minister referred the erstwhile health policy, which concentrated majorly on curative part of tertiary health care.

“Tertiary health care system is important, but we can not ignore primary health care. Under the preventive care aspect, Modi government has established 1 Lakh 77 thousand Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which are first point of contact for a patient. For promoting preventive healthcare, we have decided mass screening of every individual over the age of 30 years,” said the Health minister.

The minister also expressed his happiness over seeing an integrated convocation ceremony, where students of various disciplines i.e. allopathy, homeopathy, nursing, dental, pharmacy, Ayurveda, Physiotherapy etc were receiving their respective degrees and medals.

“For years, there has been a practise of working in silos. One branch didn’t recognize others. It is PM Modi’s vision that we should adapt an integrated approach. In AIIMS, Delhi, a Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research (CIMR) is result of this holistic approach,” said Shri Nadda.

“I am very delighted to see the integration here at this convocation, where students of allopathy, Ayurveda, Pharmacy etc are getting their degrees at a single stage,” said Shri Nadda.

Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi said that under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi and stewardship of Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, India has taken a leap in medical education and health care. He referred to increased number of seats in medical undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as the number of AIIMS increased in last 11 years. Shri Pralhad Joshi also underlined the exemplary role played by the KLE in the sector of medical education.

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