New Delhi: In wake of the rising number of patients at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the government is "actively" considering major expansion in faculty and non-faculty positions at the institution, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said today.
"Government is actively considering a major expansion in faculty and non-faculty positions to cope with the rising patient loads. As a major step in this direction, 96 faculty appointments have been approved and Director AIIMS has informed me that a large number of new faculty have joined the institute," Nadda said while launching the 'Clean and Green AIIMS campaign' here.
The campaign launched as a part of the 'Kayakalp-clean hospital campaign' is aimed at improving the sanitation in high-risk and other areas of the hospital. AIIMS has classified the hospital in three risk categories ? high, moderate and low.
To achieve clean and green AIIMS during the first phase of the campaign, which will continue till March next year, the authorities have identified eight key result areas. To achieve the desired results, it has formed a core committee and sub-committees for each key result area.
Elaborating the expansion plans at AIIMS, Nadda said, "I have also agreed to the creation of a new Department of Rheumatology and for the setting up of Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit."
"Government has supported the major expansion programs of AIIMS with a new Mother and Child Block at a cost of Rs 202 crores, an OPD block with a cost of Rs 275 crores, a National Cancer Institute with a cost of Rs 2035 cores. Proposals for expansion of Trauma Centre and Development of Western Campus of AIIMS are also underway," he added.
Assuring government's moral and financial support to the institution, the health minister said, "The establishment of an AIIMS endowment fund will provide significant resources to high-end research and collaboration in coming years".
"We have also decided to extend all necessary financial and policy support for expeditious establishment of the National Cancer Institute."
The minister also asked AIIMS Director M C Mishra to formulate the guidelines booklet for disinfection and sterilization of operation theaters, infection control programmes and other outlined measures.
About the Kayakalp initiative, Nadda said, "We have launched the Kayakalp initiative in the central health institutions across the country where they will compete on the various laid down parameters for cleanliness, housekeeping and infection-free protocols."
"Winner of the first prize will be awarded Rs 5 crore, while the second and third winner shall be awarded Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively," he said, adding, "Similar guidelines have been laid down for the district hospitals, community health centers and primary health centers also, to encourage them to participate in this initiative and establish sustainable standards of cleanliness and hygiene."
Given the high footfall at the hospital premises every day, and considering that nearly 33 lakh patients and their attendants visited AIIMS last year, Nadda said it was indeed a challenge to keep the premises clean and hygienic.
"Keeping any institution such as AIIMS clean on a daily basis is a herculean task and it needs the cooperation and partnership of various stakeholders including those visiting it. We can also involve NGOs in this effort," the Minister noted.
Nadda also inspected the Rajkumar Amrit Kaur OPD at the hospital to see the implementation status of the online OPD registration process.
