ILBS hosts special Teacher’s Day oration on reimagining healthcare for Viksit Bharat@2047 | Health News

New Delhi: On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi, organised a special Teacher’s Day Oration at the APJ Abdul Kalam Auditorium. Ashok Lahiri, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, delivered the keynote address. The Oration, titled “Reimagining Healthcare for Viksit Bharat@2047,” brought together faculty, students and staff to reflect on the opportunities and challenges before India’s healthcare system as the country works towards the vision of a developed India by 2047. 

In his address, Prof SK Sarin highlighted the importance of taking healthcare beyond the hospital and into the community. He spoke about the public health initiatives undertaken by ILBS, including programmes focused on school children, the SMILES initiative and outreach activities in Madhya Pradesh. 

These initiatives reflect ILBS’s commitment to strengthening preventive healthcare, health awareness and early intervention at the community level. The emphasis was on reaching populations before disease becomes advanced and demonstrating how specialised institutions can contribute meaningfully to broader public health goals. 

Delivering the Oration, Ashok Lahiri spoke about the broad spectrum of challenges that India must address to build a healthy and productive population by 2047. He emphasised that the vision of Viksit Bharat must be supported by a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable, preventive, innovative and responsive to the changing disease burden. 

Among the key areas discussed were nutrition, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), non-communicable diseases (NCDs), affordable healthcare, research and innovation. 

Lahiri emphasised the importance of translating successful health initiatives into sustainable public policy, so that effective interventions can be taken to scale and benefit larger sections of society. He also highlighted the critical role of research and innovation in developing solutions suited to India’s healthcare needs. 

Lahiri also highlighted the significant expansion of India’s medical education capacity, including the increase in medical college seats and postgraduate (PG) seats. He spoke about the importance of developing adequate and appropriately skilled human resources to meet the country’s evolving healthcare requirements. 

The discussion also touched upon the potential of the Ayushman Bharat schemes and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in strengthening healthcare delivery and improving access to health services. 

A key message of the Oration was that India’s healthcare ambitions should extend beyond screening and detection of disease. Screening is important, but the larger goal should be preventive health: addressing risk factors, promoting healthy lifestyles, improving nutrition and preventing disease before it develops or progresses. 

The Oration underscored the need for a coordinated approach involving healthcare delivery, public health, medical education, research, innovation and policy. India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat@2047 will require not only expansion of healthcare infrastructure and medical manpower, but also a shift towards prevention, affordability and evidence-based policy. 

The interactive session that followed the Oration provided an opportunity for faculty, students and staff to engage with Shri Lahiri on issues related to India’s healthcare priorities and the future of the health sector. 

The Teacher’s Day Oration at ILBS served as a timely reminder that building a healthy India is central to building a developed India, and that education, prevention, innovation and informed public policy must work together to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.