Ghulam Nabi Azad opens AIIMS campus in Chhattisgarh's capital

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad formally inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences campus in Raipur, at a glittering ceremony here today.
On the occasion, he also announced setting up of a Cancer Treatment and Research Institute at a cost of Rs 120 crore in Bilaspur district, besides a smaller cancer and research institute at a cost of Rs 45 crore in the Korea district of Chhattisgarh.
In his opening remarks, Union Minister Azad said that the Centre gets equal support from state governments to strengthen and expand medical education and health services.
"The Chief Minister Raman Singh-led Chhattisgarh government made a good effort by ensuring the availability of land, electricity and water on time for the early establishment of the AIIMS in the capital of Raipur. At AIIMS Raipur, a total of 4,089 posts have been sanctioned for doctors, employees and officials," he said.

Speaking about some important initiatives taken for development of medical education and health services, he said that rules were amended to open new medical and nursing colleges, keeping increasing needs in mind.
He said that amendments were made in Medical Council of India's (MCI) rules to set up medical colleges in backward states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, as well as Jammu and Kashmir.
Due to such steps, around 97 big medical colleges were opened in the last four years across the country, and the number of seats in medical colleges have been increased from 150 to 250, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said the dream of 2.5 crore people of the state has come true and Raipur AIIMS, which has been started with 160 beds, would soon be extended by upto 1,000 beds. Preparation is on to open a new medical college in Surguja too, he said.