VP Radhakrishnan at AIIMS Rishikesh: India's COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy Praised

The ceremony was also graced by the presence of Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said India's health infrastructure was tested during the pandemic, but the country emerged as a global partner by supplying COVID vaccines.

"A few years back our health infrastructure was put to the test... India emerged as a global partner, sent COVID vaccines to more than 100 countries, enforcing the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," said VP Radhakrishnan.

He further praised the institute's role in strengthening healthcare education and services.

"AIIMS Rishikesh stands today as one of the finest examples of how modern institutions can combine clinical excellence, academic strength, research, culture and technological innovation and social commitment," the Vice President added.

The Vice President appreciated the telemedicine initiatives of AIIMS Rishikesh, noting that healthcare must go beyond hospital campuses to reach remote and underserved populations.

He noted that the establishment of new AIIMS institutions across the country over the last decade has strengthened access to quality healthcare and medical education, especially in underserved regions.

The Vice President emphasised that healthcare is a public trust and that medical professionals play a vital role in nation-building. He urged them to contribute through preventive care, rural outreach, research, and innovation, and to remain guided by the values of empathy, integrity, and service.

"The expansion of quality healthcare infrastructure in India has been significantly strengthened through the establishment of new AIIMS institutions across the country in last decade," VP Radhakrishnan said.

"In a state like Uttarakhand, where geography itself creates barriers, AIIMS Rishikesh has assumed a role much larger than that of a conventional hospital," he said.

Commending the Uttarakhand government, the Vice President said, "The use of drones to deliver emergency medicines to pilgrims during the Chaar Dham Yatra and in remote areas of Uttarakhand is commendable."

"Health-care cannot remain confined to the hospital campus. It must cross mountains, distances, weather, and delays," he said.

- ANI