One AIIMS in the 20th century, today 23 in the country: Nadda!

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday reviewed the progress of AIIMS Bibinagar, an institute of national importance in Bibinagar, Hyderabad. AIIMS was established by the Government of India in the year 2019 under the seventh phase of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The project was launched in June 2022 at a cost of Rs 1,110.55 crore.

Addressing the gathering, JP Nadda said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the health sector has made significant progress in terms of infrastructure and capacity expansion. He said that till the end of the 20th century, there was only one AIIMS in the country, while six additional AIIMS were established during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Since then, 16 new AIIMS have been added, taking the total number to 23 across the country. Of these, 18 AIIMS are already functional, while the remaining are under construction at various stages.

Nadda said the government has developed a uniform and integrated healthcare infrastructure by expanding and strengthening secondary and primary healthcare services while strengthening tertiary healthcare institutions. He said that there are now 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in the country which are serving about 1.5 billion people. He also informed that the number of medical colleges has increased from 387 in 2014 to 820 at present.

A detailed presentation was given on various aspects of the institute, including infrastructure development, medical education, patient care, research activities and challenges faced by the institute.

AIIMS Bibinagar currently has 132 faculty members and 133 senior resident doctors. MBBS program started soon after the establishment of the institute and two batches have completed the course. Postgraduate programs are being offered in 24 MD subjects and five DM/MCh specialties. The B.Sc Nursing program with a capacity of 60 seats starts in 2024, while the M.Sc Nursing is available in five specialties.

Allied health courses are also being conducted. At present the institute has 902 students and a new batch of MBBS students is going to join soon.

The institute is providing outpatient services in all major specialties and is currently treating around 1,800 patients daily. It has 250 beds for inpatients and emergency services have recently been started. Most of the laboratory investigations and radiological diagnostic facilities including CT, MRI and DEXA are available.

The institute also provides teleconsultation services through e-Sanjeevani in all 33 districts of Telangana and provides health services under the PMJAY-Arogyasree scheme. Nearly 90 percent of the patients are registered under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

In the field of research, AIIMS Bibingar has received research grants worth Rs 64 crore through 129 projects and published 1,156 research publications. The institute is also collaborating with DRDO in the manufacturing of carbon-based artificial leg limb ‘ADDOC’.

​Appreciating the community service initiatives of AIIMS Bibinagar, Nadda said that the institute has adopted six villages and organized 547 mobile medical camps.

He further said, “The institute also serves the surrounding communities through its Rural Health Training Center (RHTC) and Urban Health Training Center (UHTC), which has benefited 66,148 patients so far. A community radio station with a reach of about 10 kilometers has also been started and 43 educational programs have been broadcast through it.”

While reviewing the progress of the construction work, it was told that about 87.4 percent of the ongoing construction work has been completed at a cost of about Rs 902 crore.

​The construction work of C and F Blocks of the hospital, Ayush Bhawan, Amrit Niwas, Academic Block, and Undergraduate and Postgraduate hostel buildings has been completed, while the restoration work of the old buildings is currently in progress. The radiotherapy and operation theater complex is expected to be completed soon.

During the review, JP Nadda emphasized on the use of non-renewable energy on the campus. He said that development of medical infrastructure is a time-consuming process and requires patience.

Emphasizing the need to strengthen human resources, he highlighted the importance of recruiting more senior resident doctors and providing them better opportunities. To overcome the shortage of faculty members, he suggested that meetings of the Standing Selection Committee should be held at least four times a year. He also suggested exchange programs with other AIIMS institutes as well as appointment of guest faculty members.

After the review meeting, JP Nadda visited various facilities of the institute, including the admission ward, the cath lab being built in the cardiology department and the robotic navigation system for tumor ablation and biopsy in the radiology department.

He also visited the AYUSH block, which includes vaccination centre, yoga center and community radio station. There he gave a short message and appreciated the efforts of the institute. After this the Minister visited the premises and reviewed the ongoing construction work and got an overall overview of the hospital’s infrastructure.

AIIMS Bibinagar is continuously working towards emerging as a center of excellence in medical education, patient care and research, while also strengthening its contribution to community healthcare.​