Shimla: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday urged the doctors graduating from AIIMS Bilaspur to extend quality healthcare services to Himachal Pradesh’s remote and difficult-to-reach areas and work towards establishing their institute as a centre of medical excellence. Addressing the first convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur, Murmu said the primary objective of the medical profession should be to serve humanity.She said AIIMS Bilaspur had a special responsibility because of its geographical location. Providing timely healthcare to people living in Himachal’s remote and hilly areas was a multi-faceted challenge, she said, calling upon the institute to emerge as a premier centre for advanced tertiary healthcare. She emphasised the need to use telemedicine, specialist consultations, training of medical personnel and the latest technologies to strengthen healthcare delivery in the difficult terrain.The President added that a patient approaching a doctor carried not only fear and uncertainty about the illness, but also hope, making empathy and compassion as important as medical knowledge and skills. President urged doctors to combine professional excellence with sensitivity and compassion, saying their behaviour could give patients courage during difficult times.On the first day of her three-day Himachal tour, describing Bilaspur as the land of Gods and valiant soldiers, Murmu congratulated the graduating doctors and faculty members. She said AIIMS institutions were known for providing quality medical care at affordable costs and noted that several such institutes had been established across the country to expand access to advanced treatment and medical education. The President also highlighted the financial burden of serious illnesses on families and referred to Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which provides health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually. Governor Kavinder Gupta, Union health minister JP Nadda and chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended the convocation, besides other politicians and officials. The President later left for Manali for a two-day stay.
