Union minister JP Nadda calls for upholding AIIMS brand reputation

Shimla: Union Health minister J P Nadda on Friday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare, citing India’s progress in nuclear medicine, cancer treatment, and kidney transplantation. He was addressing the 3rd Foundation Day of AIIMS Bilaspur, at his hometown.

“A major milestone for Himachal Pradesh has been the reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure. Whereas earlier people had to travel to PGI Chandigarh, today AIIMS Bilaspur meets the high-end tertiary medical needs of the region,” Nadda said.

Within three years of its establishment, the institute has installed advanced facilities including MRI, CT scanner, PET-CT, endoscopy and bronchoscopy suites. “The fact that people from nearby states are also seeking treatment at AIIMS Bilaspur highlights the growing trust and confidence in this institute,” he added.

The minister said 127 posts have been sanctioned recently—29 faculty and 98 non-faculty—and a selection committee will hold multiple rounds of interviews over the year to fill them quickly. He announced a 500-bed Vishram Sadan for patients from distant areas, along with Rs 165 crore for staff quarters and hostels, and Rs 5 crore for an indoor stadium.

Emphasising the importance of preserving the AIIMS brand, Nadda called for replicating the successes of other centres and fostering innovation. He referred to short-term exchange programmes between AIIMS institutes and said a team with NITI Aayog and IIPA will draft a roadmap for future growth.

Tracing medical education reforms, he noted the number of medical colleges has risen to 808, with seats expanding from 35,000 to 1.25 lakh. “In the last Cabinet, the Hon’ble Prime Minister sanctioned 5,000 new UG and PG seats in government medical colleges,” he said.