Union Health Secretary Keshav Desiraju today formally started OPD services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
AIIMS, Rishikesh is one of the six apex healthcare institutes being established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in different cities across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna.
Launching the services here, Desiraju said initially 25 doctors specialising in different branches of medical science will be available in the OPD to take care of the patients.
He said a 50-bed indoor service will also be operationalised at the facility sometime in July this year.
Being established by an Act of Parliament on the lines of the original All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, these institutions are aimed at correcting regional imbalances in quality tertiary level healthcare in the country and attaining self sufficiency in graduate and postgraduate medical education and training.
Earlier, the Union Health Secretary also took a round of the premier health institute to take stock of the construction work going on there.
He said an additional 50 acres of land was needed for expansion work at AIIMS, Rishikesh and expressed hope that the state government will soon make the land available for the purpose.
