Lucknow: The Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) inaugurated its National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) Cell and organised a Continuing Medical Education (CME) conference at the institute in Lucknow.
National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) is a prestigious institution dedicated to promoting academic excellence in medical education, research and healthcare policy. The academy was registered on April 21, 1961, and formally inaugurated on December 19, 1961, in New Delhi by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Vision and Role of NAMS
The academy aims to function as a national and international think tank for affordable healthcare, supporting policymakers through advancements in medical education, biomedical research and healthcare practices. It promotes biomedical knowledge, recognises talent in allied sciences, conducts research of national importance and assists the Government of India in framing policies related to public health and biomedical sciences.
NAMS also conducts Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes across medical institutions in India, publishes scientific journals and reports, and encourages young talent through academic competitions and awards.
Inauguration Ceremony
The NAMS Cell at SGPGIMS was inaugurated by Professor Rajendra Prasad, Padma Shri awardee and President of NAMS Uttar Pradesh, along with Padma Shri Professor R. K. Dhiman, Director of SGPGIMS and Patron of the NAMS Cell.
Other dignitaries present included Dean Professor Shaleen Kumar, Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology Professor Sanjay Dhiraj, Executive Registrar Colonel Varun Bajpai, NAMS Cell Nodal Officer Professor Sandeep Sahu, and faculty members Dr. Divya Srivastava and Dr. Surendra Singh.
The inaugural session included an overview of the academy’s objectives and functioning. Delivering the keynote lecture, Professor Rajendra Prasad spoke on the clinical interpretation of chest X-rays, highlighting their crucial role in early diagnosis and effective patient management.
Strengthening Medical Education and Research
Speaking at the event, SGPGIMS Director Professor R. K. Dhiman said that the institute’s core mandate—patient care, teaching and research—closely aligns with the founding principles of NAMS. He added that SGPGIMS would collaborate with NAMS to develop specialised task forces aimed at controlling and reducing the burden of both infectious and non-communicable diseases in India.
Under the leadership of Professor Sandeep Sahu and his team, the newly established NAMS Cell will work to strengthen faculty development, training and research through a hub-and-spoke model involving more than 85 medical colleges across Uttar Pradesh.
The initiative is expected to play a significant role in fostering academic leadership among faculty members and medical students while strengthening collaboration between medical institutions across the state.
