KOCHI: The Kerala High Court observed on Wednesday that the state's comparatively better healthcare infrastructure cannot be a “handicap” when it comes to establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), questioning the Centre’s stand that no in-principle approval had been granted for the project.
The HC said Kerala “deserves an AIIMS” and questioned whether the state’s relatively good healthcare facilities could disqualify it from consideration. It also observed that Kerala could be considered on a priority basis, given its population density and the possibility that existing government hospitals may not be sufficient to meet the medical needs of the poor and needy.
The observations came as the court considered a batch of petitions seeking the establishment of an AIIMS in Kerala.
In an additional affidavit filed before the court, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, said no in-principle approval had so far been granted for establishing an AIIMS in Kerala. “The establishment of new AIIMS is a matter of policy decision taken by the Union Government after inter-ministerial consultations,” the Centre said.
The Ministry of Finance had been consulted on the matter in 2019 and 2020. However, the proposal for an AIIMS in Kerala under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) had not been included in any Budget announcement so far, it said.
Deputy Solicitor General O.M. Shalina submitted that the Centre was prioritising states with weaker healthcare infrastructure. She said Kerala has a good healthcare system and several factors, including the presence of private medical colleges, are taken into consideration.
The DSG added the Centre also had to consider all states and Union Territories, and Kerala was comparatively better placed in terms of healthcare infrastructure.
The HC expressed displeasure over the submission, observing that not everyone could afford private medical facilities such as Aster Medcity and other major private hospitals.
“There are States where there are two or three AIIMS. Why is there an AIIMS in Delhi? All affluent people are there. At least Kerala deserves one AIIMS,” the court observed.
The Bench asked whether it was a fact that Kerala did not require an AIIMS and whether that would disqualify the state from consideration.
The HC pointed out that Kerala’s proposal for an AIIMS was submitted to the Centre in 2016, but no substantial action had been taken despite the matter remaining pending for more than 10 years.
According to the Centre, it had received several proposals from state governments for establishing new AIIMS at various locations. A decision to establish a new AIIMS could be taken only after approval for continuation of the PMSSY was communicated and funds allocated under the scheme, it said.
Thereafter, in accordance with the policy decision, the requisite proposal could be processed for consideration by the Cabinet.
The court said it was not satisfied with the criteria being applied for setting up an AIIMS in Kerala. Apart from an exchange of correspondence, no substantial progress had been made on the proposal, the Bench observed.
