M A I N   N E W S

PGIMER to set up national healthcare engg institute
Satellite centres at Sangrur, Ferozepur get in-principle approval
Ritika Jha Palial
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is going to set up a National Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Architecture - a first of its kind masters degree programme in Southeast Asia - during the 12th Five-Year Plan.

Announcing the plan during the 51st foundation day function of the PGIMER here today, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “I am happy to announce the setting up of a National Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Architecture in PGI. It will be offering Masters Programme in Health Facilities Planning and Designing and Health Care Engineering and Management. This institute, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research, will be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.”

The function was presided over by Vice-President Hamid Ansari. Addressing the gathering, Ansari shared the future plans of the nation in the healthcare sector.

“These include substantial expansion and strengthening of a good quality and affordable public sector healthcare system, enhancing availability of skilled human resources, increase in the health sector expenditure to 2.5 per cent by the end of the 12th Plan, redesigning of financial and managerial systems to ensure more efficient utilisation of available resources, encouragement of cooperation between the public and private sector in achieving health goals, putting in place a strong and functioning regulatory system to supervise the quality of services delivered and control the cost of care,” he said.

The Union Health Minister said that a 250 bed hospital would come up on PGI campus. It would lead to the addition of private rooms and 10 operation theatres at the institute. It will house, among other facilities, the expanded oncology, ENT and endocrinology departments.

“I have also given in-principle approval to PGIMER to develop a 300 bed satellite centre at Sangrur in Punjab. It could be expanded to a 500 bed facility depending on the load. Further, a 100 bed satellite centre will also be set up in the border district of Ferozepur to provide quality tertiary care to the people living in remote areas.

“In the Union Budget this year, Rs 635 crore has been allocated to the PGIMER to keep up its best tradition of service, education and research,” Azad added.

Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, respectively, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia and Minister of State for Health Santosh Chowdhary were also present during the function.

Later, Azad laid the foundation stone of 250-bed expansion of Nehru Hospital.