Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday inaugurated the online registration of patients and tele-evidence facilitiy at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).

The Minister also inaugurated the Central Sophisticated Instruments Cell (CSIC) at the institute.

Nadda said that the inauguration of the services is being done as part of the 'Good Governance Week' which commenced on December 25, birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He said the online registration facility was launched at AIIMS, New Delhi also on December 25, 2015, and has helped to drastically reduce waiting time of patients.

Online registrations in PGI Chandigarh were started on a trial basis in April, 2015.

Appreciating PGIMER for being the first institution in the country to start tele-evidence facility for recording evidences through video-conferencing, the Minister said it can save precious man-hours of doctors and result in more patient satisfaction.

As per rough estimate, the institute has saved about 1.93 tonnes of carbon foot prints using the eco-friendly tele-evidence technology, he noted.

Nadda also said the target is to make PGIMER a paperless institution.

The CSIC would ensure availability of cutting edge technology for higher research and management under a centralised facility. Instruments of this facility would avoid requirement of multiple sophisticated equipments in major departments and research laboratories as they all will have access to it.

Dedicating the facilities to the people, especially of North India who are more likely to avail of the services, Nadda said that PGIMER, Chandigarh has been one of the pioneers and leaders of medical services delivery in India.

The institute has joined the "Digital India" Programme of the Central Government, by making available OPD appointments, laboratory reports and blood bank stock position on the 'Online Registration System' web portal, a national platform framework to link hospitals across the country, he added.