@Evening: 🏥 Why AIIMS Guwahati Is More Valuable For Assam — And All Of North East — Than You Think

👌 Gamechanger for North East

A new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the North East has come as an incredible relief for the people of the region.

Context: AIIMS, Guwahati, which is located at Changsari on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River, was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 14 April this year.

• Swarajya's Jaideep Mazumdar has reported about how one Guna Kanta Kalita, whose world came crashing down six months ago, benefited from the new AIIMS. He is one of many.

• Though the institution is only running OPD (outpatient department) services now, a 150-bed unit for emergency surgeries will become operational by early June.

• Speaking to Swarajya, AIIMS (Guwahati) executive director, Professor Ashok Puranik said they are catering to about 700 patients per day on an average at the OPD.

• Thus far, the Centre has spent Rs 1,123 crore on the new AIIMS in Assam. More will be spent on new equipment and other facilities. 

AIIMS, looking ahead. "Our 750-bed hospital will become operational in a few months’ time," Prof Puranik said.

• While hiring for the institute’s teaching faculty is complete, another 50-odd doctors in various specialities will be joining from July.

• Plus, all vacant posts of medical, para-medical, nursing, and administrative staff will be filled up by August-September.

• By the end of the year, the institute will provide state-of-the-art cancer care, advanced laparoscopic facilities, trauma care, and futuristic interventions like robotic surgery, organ transplantation, regenerative medicine, genetics, and simulation labs.

🗣️ "AIIMS Guwahati will provide world-class healthcare for free to patients from not only Assam, but the rest of the North East as well. The institute will revolutionise healthcare in the region. I am sure cutting-edge research in genetics, neurosciences, oncology, and other fields will be conducted at the institute and will greatly benefit the people of this region." — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to Swarajya

AIIMS dream come true. Sarma is the person responsible for setting up this institute.

• He harboured dreams of opening an AIIMS in Assam ever since he became health minister in the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in 2006.

• "It became a reality only after the NDA government gave its approval in June 2016 and sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for setting up the institute in Assam," said Sarma.

• He held the health portfolio again in the Sarbananda Sonowal government from 2016 to 2023 and continues to take an active interest in the department even after becoming chief minister, in 2021.

• He said nothing happened between 2006 (when he first became health minister) and 2016 (when the BJP defeated the Congress in Assam to come to power).

• The Centre got into action after 2016 to make it happen. (Details here.)

The AIIMS impact, therefore... In the words of Prof Puranik:

🗣️ "This AIIMS will correct regional imbalances in availability of affordable and world-class super speciality healthcare. Apart from providing best quality medical education, AIIMS Guwahati will provide comprehensive, quality and holistic tertiary care health services to the people of Assam and the Northeast at their doorsteps through our community outreach initiatives and optimal use of digital health infrastructure."

(Read the original report for more.)