No substitute for AIIMS in the country: Vice Prez Dhankhar

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said there is no substitute for All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the country, adding the premier institute has earned global recognition. 

"There is no competition for AIIMS. There is no substitute for AIIMs in the country. AIIMS has earned global recognition," Dhankhar said while addressing the 48th Convocation of AIIMS Delhi. 

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, AIIMS Director M Srinivas and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. 

"This is my first visit to AIIMS not as a patient. I have been here as a patient, on I think, on a dozen occasions. The kind of dedication the doctors have here is unparalleled. Can you beat their commitment, involvement and dedication with the patient? I have seen it. 

"The strength of an institution is its faculty and staff. My greetings to all of them and the students who are taking degrees today," the Vice President said. 

"All of your life you will remember that teacher in the faculty who was taught in the class because he or she shaped and mentored you. I am sure you will never let them down. Referring to the Covid pandemic, the Vice president lauded the healthcare workers. 

"When everyone was facing pandemic challenges, our health workers fully vindicated our civilisational ethos at the cost of their own lives. They took risks and came to our rescue," the Vice President said. 

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vice President while referring to the Covid lockdown said: "The world never thought of a strategy of mass involvement as the Prime Minister did. The entire nation cooperated. It yielded results on all fronts to contain and combat Covid." 

Without naming anyone, Dhankhar further said: "While India was tackling the Covid pandemic, it was painful to find some irritating voices raising concern, not believing in our ability. As a nation we need to escape- it does not help anyone." 

The Vice President further said: "Growth of every nation is rationally correlated to the health of its populace. If the populace is not healthy, you cannot have achievements, let alone incremental achievements." 

Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said: "If citizens of a country are healthy, only then can a nation be prosperous." 

The Minister said that to plug the gaps in healthcare, Rs 64,000 crore are being invested across the 750 districts of the country, to create a more resilient healthcare system. 

He exhorted the students to take a resolution to serve their country, and be inspired from that resolution daily.