Standing for medical science, together with AIIMS

For over a billion Indians, world-class healthcare is no longer a distant dream centred in New Delhi; it is now a reality closer to their homes. Over the past decade, the Government of India has pursued a coherent strategy to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and consistent for every Indian, irrespective of where they live. This transformation marks a shift from a model in which medical excellence, the beacon of hope, was concentrated in one city, to one in which it is distributed across every region, working as a unified national system.

Medical education

The journey toward equitable healthcare begins with the creators of care — our doctors. India has witnessed a rapid expansion in medical education infrastructure to meet the needs of the country. Since 2014, MBBS seats across India have surged from around 50,000 to approximately 1,20,000. Similarly, postgraduate seats have expanded from around 30,000 to roughly 80,000. By significantly increasing the number of medical colleges and specialty seats, the government has ensured a steady pipeline of healthcare professionals.

The instrument of this structural transformation is the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Launched with the explicit mandate of correcting regional imbalances in tertiary healthcare, PMSSY has gained unprecedented momentum since 2014. Of the 22 AIIMS approved under the scheme, the majority were sanctioned and operationalised in the last decade.

The strategy was clear: establish institutions of the highest national standing in regions that needed them most. These are not mere satellite campuses; each is an Institute of National Importance (INI), mandated to deliver world-class clinical care, education, and research, the trinity mission of AIIMS.

The impact on patient care has been staggering. In the last few years alone, the new AIIMS have collectively treated crores of outpatients and millions of inpatients. AIIMS New Delhi, the first AIIMS, recorded approximately 50 lakh OPD consultations in a single year. Services that once required patients to travel hundreds of kilometres are now available locally. This has led to a substantial reduction in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE), preventing millions of families from falling into poverty due to catastrophic health costs.

The AIIMS expansion sits within a broader architecture of reform. While AIIMS ensures the availability of care, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY guarantees affordability by providing financial protection to over 55 crore citizens. Complementing this is the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDM).

The new AIIMS institutions have consistently topped the charts for the highest ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) registrations and have utilised the “Scan and Share” facility to reduce wait times, ensuring that patients’ health records follow them seamlessly across the country.

The evolution of these institutes is supported by a unique “hand-holding” model. AIIMS New Delhi, as the “Mother AIIMS,” has played a pivotal role in mentoring new institutions, supporting them in establishment, recruitment, teaching, learning, and fostering research collaboration. This ensures that the “AIIMS Brand” of excellence is maintained and the “AIIMS work culture” is propagated.

This collaboration reached a milestone in January 2026, when directors and deans from all operational AIIMS gathered at AIIMS New Delhi to sign a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Pan-AIIMS Research Consortium. This framework formalises joint clinical trials and shared patient data focused on India’s specific epidemiological priorities, cancer, metabolic disorders and the integration of AI in medicine.

Government commitment

With an allocation of around ₹11,000 crore for PMSSY in the Union Budget 2026-27, the commitment to health remains steadfast. The Government of India is not merely expanding services; it is democratising tertiary medical services. This is what equitable healthcare looks like in practice — a system where the quality of care is determined by clinical need, not by a patient’s geographical location or income. AIIMS New Delhi, supported by the government’s annual budget of around ₹5,500 crore, continues the legacy of the trinity mission: patient care, medical education, and medical research.

Every year, World Health Day is observed on April 7. The theme of this year is “Together for health. Stand with science”.

AIIMS New Delhi, is truly together with all other AIIMS of India, for Swasth Bharat. AIIMS New Delhi, is standing together, with all other AIIMS of India, mobilising the power of scientific collaboration.

Let us celebrate the World Health Day.

M. Srinivas is the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

Published – April 07, 2026 01:19 am IST