BHUBANESWAR: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday made several announcements regarding health sector in the State, including a satellite campus of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Bhubaneswar at Balasore.
Assuring all possible assistance to the State’s health sector, the Union Minister said the satellite campus at Balasore will have 300 beds. The State Government has identified about 25 acres of land adjacent to the National Highway near Balasore for the hospital which will be set up at a cost of Rs 300 crore.
“Efforts will be made to strengthen the infrastructure of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, and make it better than AIIMS, New Delhi to fulfil the dreams of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” Vardhan said after a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Vardhan announced four super-speciality centres of 100-bed each namely National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Nephrology Centre with dialysis and kidney transplant facilities, Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery and an Oncology Centre.
He further announced the establishment of an integrated treatment facility for patients combining AYUSH and allopathic medication and a new department of Occupational and Environmental Health in the State.
Admitting that AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and five other such newly established institutes in the country are suffering due to shortage of faculty, Vardhan said decks have been cleared for recruitment from August 1.
“Only 65 faculty positions have been filled up in each AIIMS at present and there is a shortfall of 250. It has been decided to hire teaching faculty on contractual basis for the first two years because we need to get the facilities functional fast,” he said. Vardhan said he has decided to give the Director of each of the AIIMS the authority to chair selection committee meetings. Besides, a meeting of State Health Secretaries will be convened after the current session of the Parliament to discuss issues, he said.
The Centre has decided to launch a movement to create health awareness among people to prevent non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart and mental problems, high blood pressure and diabetes. Besides, emphasis will be given to reduce infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, he said.
Naveen urged Vardhan to take steps to open a geriatric centre at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack and expedite measures for establishment of Regional Institute of Paramedical Sciences (RIPS). He also demanded financial assistance of Rs 530.55 crore for infrastructure development towards the allotment of more seats for the three Government medical colleges in the State.
A nine-point charter of demands was presented to the Union Health Minister. Setting up of an institute like NIMHANS in the State and establishment of more nursing colleges are some of the demands.
The Union Minister also visited AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and interacted with the institute’s doctors and Director Dr Ashok Mohapatra. He also had a separate meeting with Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak
Upcoming Projects
Institute of Mental Health, an Institute of Cardiac Sciences, a Comprehensive Oncology Centre and an Institute for Transplant and Dialysis will be set up
AIIMS Satellite Campus at Balasore to have 300 beds
The Satellite campus to cost about Rs 300 cr