“Need trained hospital managers to improve health delivery system”

New Delhi: The International Institute of Health Management Research, New Delhi hosted its 8^th convocation recently and it was attended by Mr Faggan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare as the chief guest.

Eighty students were awarded Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital and Health Management.  Four students got gold medals, one each for Health Management, Hospital Management, Health Information Technology and one for overall outstanding performance across all streams. Over 100 students, parents and faculty members attended the convocation. Dr S D Gupta, Chairman, IIHMR Jaipur University and Trustee Secretary, IIHMR Society, inaugurated the function.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Faggan Singh Kulaste, said, “The Government’s National Health Policy, 2017, stresses the promotion of health and wellness for all.  With this objective in mind the government has decided to upgrade 1 lakh 50 thousand sub-centers into health and wellness centers, across the country, in a time-bound manner.” Admitting that the healthcare delivery system is facing many challenges, especially in rural and far-flung areas, the minister said, “We need better management of resources, especially human resources.  Equipment, infrastructure and procurement and delivery of essential medicines, vaccines and contraceptives, need to be strengthened and streamlined. For this, we need large numbers of qualified hospitals and healthcare managers in the country. I’m glad that institutions like IIHMR are contributing in this effort”.

Congratulating the graduating students, Dr Sanjiv Kumar, Director, IIHMR Delhi, said, “We have come a long way since 2008, when we started IIHMR, Delhi with the objective of improving the management of the healthcare institutions both in public and private sector. IIHMR Delhi is dedicated to improving the standards of healthcare through better management of healthcare. As I hand over the degrees to successful students, it gives me great satisfaction of sending out into the healthcare delivery system, professionals equipped with techniques of modern hospital management. With their training in critical aspects of and healthcare management, I’m sure they will contribute in making our hospitals better run and sensitive to patient’s needs.

Dr Ashok K Agarwal, Dean Academics, IIHMR proposed the vote of thanks and expressed special thanks to the minister for gracing the occasion.