The Union Ministry of Health has taken a decision that it would consider establishment of a Satellite Centre of the AIIMS Bhubaneswar at an appropriate location in the State. Union Secretary of Health & Family Welfare Keshav Desiraju has sent a letter to Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra on Tuesday in this regard.
Desiraju has said that to cope with the increasing number of critical care cases, due to which patients from the region have to travel long distances for treatment, and considering the requirement of delivery of quality healthcare in the light of the disease burden, it is strongly felt that the AIIMS would attract a large number of patients from across the region necessitating further expansion of the super specialty care and setting up of different centres.
Accordingly, he has requested that the State Government to allot 25 acres to 30 acres of land for this purpose so that a Satellite Centre of the AIIMS as a super specialty healthcare facility could be set up.
Desiraju said that after receiving the details from the State Government about identification and availability of land to be made available free of cost to the AIIMS Bhubaneswar, further steps like preparation of a detailed project report, funding approvals and other required formalities would be taken up by the Ministry.
Meanwhile, AIIMS Bhubaneswar Director AK Mahapatra has proposed for an Extension Complex of the AIIMS at Baleswar, which was recommended by the State Health Department. The Union Health Ministry has received the proposal, said Desiraju.
Desiraju said a Tertiary Healthcare Centre of excellence would cater to the health needs of people of the State and adjoining areas. He has made it clear that the intention of the Central Government is to develop the AIIMS as a Model Medical Teaching and Medical Research Centre.
The Union Secretary has also informed that two batches of MBBS students and the first batch of BSc Nursing students are receiving education at the AIIMS Bhubaneswar. He said work on the hospital is at an advanced stage of completion and it has been planned to start indoor patient facilities of the hospital in a limited way in January 2014.