AIIMS to have two satellite units in State: Ghulam Nabi Azad

--MKCG, VSS Medical College to become Super Specialities

BHUBANESWAR: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Bhubaneswar would have two satellite units including one in Baleswar district in the State. It was announced by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad while dedicating the institute to the public here on Wednesday.

Azad said they have identified a location in Jaleswar area of Baleswar district that would have 300 beds in its complete shape. “We have started our formalities to start the project very soon, while the second unit will be finalised after the General Election” he added.

Notably, the satellite unit, an extended project or an outreach unit of the AIIMS, would help the people of interior areas of the State. Around 30 acres of land for the first unit has been identified adjacent to the National Highway in Baleswar, official sources said.

In his speech, Azad declared that they would convert two Government medical colleges in the State, the VSS Medical College Hospital in Sambalpur and the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Brahmapur, to super specialty hospitals with central assistance out of the 39 hospitals chosen for the purpose in the country. Apart from that the two Government medical college and hospitals of the State would be upgraded to the level of the AIIMS, he added.

He also said that his Ministry has decided to set up 78 cancer institutes in the country including 20 State-level institutes. In Odisha, the Ministry will establish a State-level cancer institute in Cuttack and will upgrade two Government medical colleges, the MKCG Medical College Hospital in Brahmapur and the VSS Medical College Hospital in Sambalpur, in regional level, he added.

“If the new hospitals planned by the Union Health Ministry and other Ministries along with super specialities hospitals proposed by the PSUs and corporate houses come up in the State, the backwardness of the State in health sector especially poor show in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) would come down,” said Azad.

Gracing the occasion, Union Minister Srikant Jena announced that his Ministry would open generic medicine store in the hospital campus so that the poor people can get medicine in low cost. The Odisha Drugs and Chemicals Limited (ODCL) would manufacture the medicine, he added.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the State Government will provide all the support to the Central Government for establishment of health projects in the State.

Among others, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani, Rajya Sabha member Rama Chandra Khuntia, Union Health Secretary Luv Verma, in-charge of the AIIMS project Sandeep Nayak, AIIMS Director Prof Ashok Kumar Mohapatra and teaching and non-teaching staff of the institute attended the ceremony.