Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], May 16 (ANI): Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh, virtually addressed the annual convocation of the 42nd batch of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST).

The institute is an Institution of National Importance and a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology.

In his address, Jitendra Singh congratulated the graduating the students and the Institute on its Golden Jubilee celebrations.

He lauded the achievements of the institute and highlighted that approval for the appointment of nearly 800 permanent faculty members would nearly double its working capacity.

He also appreciated the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for establishing the nine-floor Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) block and the four-floor services block, stating that 'the new facilities would strengthen the institute into one of the country's largest centres for neurosurgery and cardiac sciences.'

The Union Minister congratulated the institute's doctors for treating more than 17,000 patients under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana since 2020.

Referring to the foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Malini Vasundhara Centre, he described it as a major advancement in precision-based, non-invasive treatment for neurological and oncological conditions.

Highlighting the institute's contribution to indigenous medical device development, Singh stated that 'the unique focus of the institute is in the making of medical devices which are world-class, highly effective, and at the same time indigenous and cost-effective.'

He also noted that several world-class and cost-effective technologies developed at the institute are transferred to industry every year, including the 7 technologies that will be transferred this year.

In her address, Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava congratulated the graduating students for graduating from 'a pioneering institution that has a unique character, where engineers and medical professionals work together to drive innovation in healthcare, develop new medical devices, and undertake cutting-edge research.'

She conveyed her best wishes to the students for a bright and successful future and expressed confidence that they would make meaningful contributions to the advancement of healthcare and medical science in the years ahead. (ANI)