The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that four out of the planned six AIIMS like institutions will be operational by July this year. Listing the steps taken by the government to achieve the objective of health for all, he said that acute shortage of medical professionals is a serious constraint. The Minister added that the Post Graduate Diploma awarded by National Board of Examination is of great value in addressing this constraint. The Board has so far produced 30,000 such professionals.

The Lok sabha Speaker Ms. Meira kumar who was the chief guest, expressed deep concern over female foeticide resulting in adverse sex ratio across the country. Ms Kumar brought to the fore the important role of young professionals in addressing this evil effectively.

The NBE is an autonomous body, set up in 1975 under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, for standardizing postgraduate medical education and examination in India.