Kolkata, Aug 02: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Sushma Swaraj today said that the Centre would assist and cooperate with the West Bengal government in all possible ways to upgrade the health infrastructure in the state. "Centre is ever ready to help the West Bengal government in upgrading the health infrastructure as well as developing medical services in this state, Swaraj told reporters after a meeting with the chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee here.

She said that the Centre would consider the state's demand for upgrading a hospital into the status of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Besides, the Centre was actively considering the suggestion for setting up a unit of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICED) in the state, she said.
To a question, Swaraj said that she had discussions with the chief minister on the health scenario as also improving the services at the B C Roy Memorial Hospital for children in the city.

Swaraj said that she would try to keep the 'promises' given by her predecessor Shatrughan Sinha for upgrading health services in the state's major hospitals.
Later, the Chief Minister said that the Centre was assisting the state in the health sector.

The meeting of Swaraj was attended, among others, by state's health minister Suryakanta Mishra, health secretary Asim Burman and other senior officials of the government.
Bureau Report