Jammu: The out-patient department (OPD) services will start at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jammu along with other facilities within a fortnight, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Sunday.
Accompanied by Union minister Jitendra Singh, Nadda inspected the Vijaypur campus of the AIIMS and reviewed its facilities and infrastructure, expressing hope that no patient of Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will have to go to PGI Chandigarh or Delhi for treatment anymore.
“This is my first visit to AIIMS Vijaypur after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assigned me to the health ministry. I inspected the facilities and was given a presentation.
“I tried to know how AIIMS is progressing and I want to congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially Jammu for one of the best health institutions having facilities, infrastructure, equipment, and logistics at par with world standards,” the health minister told reporters.
Nadda, who is also the BJP national president, said given the inspection and discussion with the hospital authorities, the OPD services along with other facilities will start within a fortnight.
“The faculty recruitment is going on at a very fast pace and our attempt is to provide the best faculty. Some best doctors and professors have already joined,” he said, adding a hospital like AIIMS requires at least a decade to grow to its full potential.
Seeking cooperation of the people, he said the AIIMS Vijaypur is a gift of the prime minister to the people of Jammu.
“Under the visionary leadership of Modi, not just health, but every sector has experienced immense growth. Modi has brought a new wave of comprehensive development into Jammu and Kashmir, advancing the state towards prosperity and growth,” he said.
He said Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the AIIMS, Jammu in February this year and presently four batches of medical students are getting education at the institute.
“The first batch started with 50 students and the second and third with 62 students each, while the fourth batch comprises 100 students,” he said.
Earlier, addressing a gathering including students, Nadda said with the operationalisation of the AIIMS Jammu, no patient of Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining Punjab and Himachal will need to go to PGI Chandigarh or Delhi for treatment.
The patients will now be treated in this institute, he said, asking the doctors to ensure that the benefits of the government schemes like Ayushman Bharat reaches to the common citizens.
He said the Centre is also planning to digitise the health records in the country and “we are moving in that direction”.
Nadda said the people of the country have a lot of “expectations and aspirations from all of us and we have to fulfil all these to their satisfaction”.
He said that Indian doctors have made their mark worldwide with their excellence and professionalism. “The healthcare systems in the West heavily rely on Indian doctors. We appreciate our doctors’ unwavering commitment to their service to the nation.”
The health minister also said it is important to foster collaborative synergy among various branches of medical sciences.
“Both allopathy and ayurved possess distinct significance and strengths, complementing each other to enhance healthcare outcomes,” he said.
The minister said there was a time when doctors used to leave India due to lack of facilities and education. “However, today, we have 22 AIIMS, offering world-class facilities and infrastructure, transforming our healthcare landscape,” he added.

Agencies