Dr Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth, Chairman of National Medical Commission presided over the 11^th Convocation Ceremony of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, here today. Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and Dr Vinod Kotwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sheth congratulated the graduating students as well as their parents and faculty members for their dedication in guiding and motivating the students towards a service in healthcare. He emphasized the government’s commitment to increasing the number of doctors in the country to meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of maintaining a uniform doctor-patient ratio of 1:1000 nationwide. Dr. Sheth also shared ongoing efforts to achieve a balanced undergraduate (UG) to postgraduate (PG) ratio of 1:1, aiming to elevate the quality of India’s healthcare system to the standards of developed countries.

Dr. Sheth also highlighted innovative initiatives being introduced by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences and the National Medical Commission (NMC), such as integrating skill-based and virtual learning alongside traditional physical education, to fulfill the requirements of competency-based medical education. He encouraged the students to prioritize their own health and well-being, to persevere through challenges, and to remain lifelong learners.

Dr. Vinod Kotwal emphasized that today’s occasion represents the culmination of years of hard work by the students and remarked, “This marks the beginning of your lifelong commitment to the health and well-being of the nation.” She also congratulated ABVIMS for its recent NABH accreditation, which “stands as a recognition of the institution’s steadfast dedication to quality, safety, and patient-centered care”. Dr. Kotwal urged the students to continue pursuing knowledge, discovery, and service with integrity, compassion, and respect as their guiding principles. “Medicine is not just about curing disease; it's about caring for the patients who suffer,” she said.

Dr. Sunita Sharma, in her address to the graduating students, noted, “You are not merely receiving a degree today; you are shouldering a profound responsibility—to heal, to lead, and to serve the nation in whatever capacity you choose.” Whether pursuing clinical care, medical research, or education, she advised, “Let your work be driven by empathy, evidence, and excellence.”

Emphasizing the sanctity of the medical profession, Dr. Sharma declared, “This is a noble calling built on compassion and an unwavering commitment to human life.” She concluded by encouraging the graduates to remain humble and grounded, no matter how far they go or how much they achieve in life.

During the ceremony, degrees were presented to 250 Post-graduate and DM students and the first batch of 100 MBBS graduates. The annual report of ABVIMS (Samhita) was also released on the occasion.

About ABVIMS & RMLH

Established in 1932 as Willingdon Nursing Home, the hospital has evolved into a 1,532-bedded premier institution providing comprehensive healthcare across specialties and super-specialties. Renamed Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) & Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RMLH) in 2019, it offers 100 MBBS seats annually, along with 203 postgraduate and 48 DM/MCh seats.

The hospital caters to nearly 12 lakh outpatients and 60,000 inpatients annually and provides round-the-clock emergency services without refusal policy. ABVIMS & Dr. RMLH is a tertiary care center offering round the clock 24×7 services in almost all specialty and super specialty streams to the people of India. Dr. RMLH also provides medical services to CGHS beneficiaries, Hon’ble MPs, Ex-MPs, Ministers, Judges and other VVIP dignitaries.

Dr. (Prof.) Ashok Kumar, Director, ABVIMS; Dr Arti Maria, Dean, ABVIMS along with the senior officials of the Ministry, faculty members and parents were also present at the event.

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