Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the convocation ceremony of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS) in Guwahati on September 6, 2026. Speaking to graduating healthcare professionals, he emphasised the importance of combining medical knowledge with human compassion and ethical practice. The event also saw the presentation of the Dr. John Berry White Award for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Healthcare expansion in Assam and India
The Vice President highlighted significant growth in medical infrastructure across India and Assam specifically. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, more than 44 crore Ayushman cards have been distributed. The scheme has helped poor and middle-class families avoid an estimated Rs. 2 lakh crore in medical expenses, according to the Vice President.
In Assam, medical colleges have expanded dramatically. The state had 7 medical colleges in 2021; this number has risen to 15 as of now, with 9 additional colleges under construction. The Vice President also noted the establishment of AIIMS Guwahati, the first AIIMS institution in the Northeast region.
The state’s three-tier cancer-care network was mentioned as part of strengthening healthcare services. This includes Assam’s first Proton Beam Therapy Centre. The Vice President credited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Assam government for these developments and observed that patients from outside the state increasingly travel to Guwahati for advanced medical treatment.
SSUHS itself was recognised for promoting medical education in regional languages. The university has published an Anglo-Assamese Dictionary of Medical Science and medical textbooks in Assamese.
What this means for you
If you live in Assam or the Northeast, improved medical colleges and AIIMS facilities mean better access to quality healthcare education and advanced treatment options without travelling to distant cities. The expansion of Ayushman cards benefits eligible poor and middle-class families by covering hospitalisation costs at recognised healthcare facilities. For students graduating from medical institutions, the Vice President emphasised that healthcare professionals now have greater responsibility in building a healthy India and should focus on ethical practice and service to communities.