Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates INI Radiology update 2025 at AIIMS Guwahati

Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 30 (ANI): The INI Radiology Update 2025, organised by the Radiological Forum for Institutes of National Importance (INIs) in collaboration with AIIMS Guwahati, was inaugurated on Saturday.
The conclave has brought together radiologists, clinicians, researchers and scientists from across India and abroad, including representatives from all AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS Bengaluru, SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram, SGPGIMS Lucknow and other leading government medical colleges.
This academic gathering, held under the theme "Advancing Imaging & Interventional Radiology," seeks to promote collaboration and innovation in radiology and allied disciplines.
The inauguration was graced by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India, as the Chief Guest, along with Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Puranik, Executive Director, AIIMS Guwahati; Prof. (Dr.) Shailesh B. Gaikwad, Chief, Cardiac-Neuro Centre, AIIMS New Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Pranjal Phukan, AIIMS Guwahati; and senior radiologists from AIIMS Bhopal, Rishikesh, Raipur and other premier institutions.
Addressing the gathering, Sonowal described the conclave as a landmark initiative that not only strengthens academic exchange but also reinforces India's vision of accessible and innovative healthcare.
He congratulated AIIMS Guwahati and the organising committee for bringing together experts and young doctors from across the country, noting that the institution has positioned the Northeast as a rising hub of medical excellence.
The Union Minister highlighted the transformation of India's healthcare sector since 2014, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
He observed that the health system has been reshaped from infrastructure to access, from affordability to innovation. He spoke about the rapid expansion of the AIIMS network, noting that from only seven in 2014, India now has twenty-three, including AIIMS Guwahati, which has brought world-class healthcare to the doorstep of the people of the Northeast.
He also referred to flagship reforms such as Ayushman Bharat-PM Jan Arogya Yojana, the world's largest health assurance scheme, which has provided financial protection to over 55 crore citizens and the Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana, which, with more than 11,000 Kendras, has brought affordable medicines to millions of families. He underlined that medical education has also witnessed historic expansion, with the number of colleges and MBBS seats more than doubling in the last decade, thereby addressing the shortage of doctors and specialists.
Sonowal emphasised that modern diagnostic facilities are being established across AIIMS and district hospitals to strengthen early detection and treatment of diseases such as cancer, stroke and cardiac conditions. He also stressed the government's focus on green and sustainable healthcare, citing AIIMS Guwahati as a model of eco-friendly hospital design that reflects a balance between progress and environmental care.
He added that with improved connectivity, new medical institutions, and enhanced healthcare schemes, the Northeast is poised to emerge as a hub of Southeast Asia. Whether it is healthcare, culture, business or education, the region holds immense potential to become a centre of growth and collaboration. "Hospitals should not just be centres of treatment, but also centres of happiness and healing," he remarked.
The three-day INI Radiology Update 2025 will feature lectures, panel discussions and workshops on recent innovations in imaging, interventional radiology and artificial intelligence applications in healthcare. The conclave is expected to lay the foundation for a future Radiological Association of INIs, promoting knowledge sharing, training, and collaboration across premier institutes in the country. (ANI)