Health Minister JP Nadda said – ‘Healthy India’ is the basic requirement to realize the vision of ‘Developed India 2047’

Bathinda, June 2. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday addressed the second convocation of AIIMS Bathinda and congratulated the passing out students on starting their professional journey. He appreciated the growing contribution of the institute towards strengthening tertiary healthcare, medical education and research.

Nadda congratulated the students on successfully completing their academic journey and described the second convocation as a moment of pride and celebration for the students, their parents, faculty members and the entire AIIMS Bathinda family. Lauding the rapid progress of the institute and its contribution in providing healthcare services in the region, he said that AIIMS Bathinda today treats around 3,000 outpatients and about 600 outpatients per day. It also maintains the high standards and credibility associated with the AIIMS brand.

Referring to the importance of health in nation building, Health Minister Nadda said that the dream of ‘Developed India 2047’ can be realized only through a healthy and hardworking population. He emphasized that although governments can provide infrastructure and modern facilities, healthcare ultimately depends on the dedication, efficiency and compassion of doctors and health professionals. Describing doctors as the true strength of the health system, he remarked that while infrastructure may be the hardware of healthcare, health professionals are its software.

Addressing the 2nd Convocation Ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bathinda, Punjab.

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) June 2, 2026

Highlighting the transformative impact of the healthcare reforms initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda said India’s healthcare approach has evolved from a primarily ‘curative model’ to a comprehensive framework that includes preventive, promotive, rehabilitative, palliative and geriatric care. He informed that today more than 1.82 lakh ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ are acting as the first point of contact for health services across the country.

Emphasizing the government’s emphasis on preventive health care, Nadda said that all people above 30 years of age are being encouraged to get regular screening done through panchayats, Asha workers and frontline health workers.

Giving information about the progress made under these initiatives, he said that more than 36 crore people have been screened for oral cancer, more than 17 crore women for breast cancer and more than 9 crore women for cervical cancer. Apart from this, more than 42 crore people have been screened for diabetes and hypertension, while a nationwide tuberculosis (TB) screening campaign is also underway.