New Delhi: Dr Rajeev Menon, general secretary of the Republican Party’s national organisation, has urged the Centre to set up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kerala. Kerala has been waiting for AIIMS for the past several years. Steps have come a long way in Kerala to make the institute a reality if the central announcement is made. Steps have been taken to set up a campus at Kinaloor near Thamarassery in Kozhikode district. However, Dr Rajeev Menon said that it has not happened so far and he will submit a petition to the Central Government to implement AIIMS in Kerala.
However, the Centre has said that the central government is actively considering sanctioning AIIMS in Kerala. Dr Rajeev Menon also said that considering setting up aiims in Alappuzha district of Kerala as a step towards the development of the health sector in the district, based on the spread of diseases and communicable diseases. At present, AIIMS is functioning in 19 locations in India. As many as five AIIMS are currently under construction or are not operational in several states. Some AIIMS colleges in India have started offering classes but are under construction. At every stage, Kerala is moving forward with high expectations. But the announcement is going away in the distance. With the 2024 general elections over, discussions are on for AIIMS from various quarters. Dr Rajeev Menon said that an important announcement in this regard is expected to be made this year itself.
If AIIMS comes up, it will give a new impetus to kerala’s health research sector. All the state-of-the-art treatments will be available free of cost. In addition, expert doctors will arrive in Kerala. There will be a large group of skilled doctors here. While there are many hospitals that provide the best treatment, the lack of research institutes is a limitation of our health sector. If AIIMS comes up, Kerala will also get quality specialist treatment, research, specialist doctors, world-class medical facilities and training for healthcare workers. Kerala needs a central institution like AIIMS to make a leap in the health sector and the central government should immediately give permission to kerala to realise its dream of having AIIMS, Rajeev Menon said.
