AIIMS a 'lighthouse of hope, innovation': Director on institute's Foundation Day

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) AIIMS is not just a medical Institute but a "lighthouse of hope, innovation, and ethical leadership," said AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas on Thursday.

On the 70th Foundation Day of AIIMS Delhi, Srinivas said that this milestone is not merely a marker of time; it is a testament to the institute's enduring commitment to excellence, innovation, and service.

The topic for today's golden jubilee oration was 'Making Health Research Relevant and Real-World in a Complex Milieu'.

In an era defined by complexity, diversity and rapid change, this year's theme calls us to bridge the gap between research and reality.

"At AIIMS, we are committed to translating evidence into action, ensuring that our research not only advances science but also resonates with the lived experiences of patients, caregivers, and frontline providers," he said.

"By embedding relevance, inclusivity, and contextual sensitivity into our research frameworks, we reaffirm our role as a catalyst for meaningful, scalable, and equitable healthcare transformation," he stated.

Over the past year, AIIMS has continued to redefine the contours of patient care and has served over 50 lakh outpatients, admitted more than 3.2 lakh inpatients, and performed over 3.1 lakh surgeries — many of them among the most complex in the country, he informed.

These numbers reflect not just scale, but the trust placed in us by millions.

"We are proud to lead the national transformation in healthcare delivery through AI-powered healthcare, diagnostics, predictive analytics, and robotic surgeries, real-time public dashboards that promote transparency and patient empowerment and robust clinical protocols for patient safety, including fall-risk identification," he stated.

These innovations are not isolated; they are embedded in a larger vision of ethical, data-driven, and patient-centric care.

AIIMS continues to be ranked No. 1 among medical institutions in India for the seventh consecutive year.

In a significant step toward strengthening our academic and clinical capacity, 261 posts of Assistant Professors have been advertised, Srinivas said.

The screening process is currently underway, and interviews will commence shortly, marking a major stride in our commitment to faculty expansion and institutional excellence.

"Our work spans dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology, and primary care, bringing precision medicine to the grassroots," he stated.

AIIMS' partnerships with IITs, other AIIMS, THSTI, and the All India Institute of Ayurveda have deepened commitment to multidisciplinary research, and international collaborations continue to enrich perspective and expand impact, he said.

Srinivas further said that AIIMS Delhi is now a national model for digital governance in healthcare.

This year, we have unified all robotic systems under one roof for surgical training, developed in-house IT solutions for patient services, HR, and procurement and created over 10 lakh ABHA IDs and 30 lakh scan-and-share tokens under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. PTI PLB AMJ AMJ