Health minister addresses RMU convocation

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Khawaja Salman Rafique highlights Punjab health reforms at RMU convocation and congratulates graduates while outlining new hospitals and major programmes.

The 15th convocation of Rawalpindi Medical University opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran and Naat Rasool Kareem (PBUH) before a gathering that included Provincial Minister for Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Umar, Parliamentary Secretary and MPA Zia Ullah Shah, members of the university syndicate and faculty.

Before the main ceremony the minister visited several departments across the campus alongside Prof. Muhammad Umar and other university officials, where the vice chancellor briefed him on academic progress and notable achievements in medical education at RMU. The minister then took part in the formal proceedings, distributing degrees and medals to graduates who secured top positions.

Addressing the graduates at the RMU convocation, Khawaja Salman Rafique congratulated students and their parents and described the day as a proud milestone for those completing their medical training at one of Pakistan’s respected institutions. He emphasised that ‘today marks a pivotal beginning of your practical life’ and called fresh graduates ambassadors of their alma mater, praising Rawalpindi Medical University’s role in nurturing public service values and clinical excellence.

On healthcare policy, the minister outlined Punjab’s top-priority reforms under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, naming flagship initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Program, Kidney and Liver Transplant Program, Dialysis Program, Clinic on Wheels and Field Hospitals. He highlighted ongoing projects including the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research in Lahore, the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore, the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha, and planned children’s hospitals in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi.

Khawaja Salman Rafique noted that the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology has already opened to the public and said thousands of posts for medical officers, women medical officers, consultants, nurses, fellows and paramedical staff are being created to staff newly established hospitals. He stressed that providing the best healthcare at people’s doorsteps remains a central objective of the province’s health agenda.

The RMU convocation provided a platform to link medical education with provincial health priorities, with the minister urging new graduates to carry forward a commitment to service. At the conclusion of the event Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Umar presented a commemorative shield to the provincial minister and expressed gratitude for his presence and support for the university’s mission.

Prof. Umar reiterated RMU’s commitment to delivering a strong educational environment and continuing to produce skilled medical professionals who will contribute to Punjab’s expanding healthcare infrastructure and programmes.

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