New Delhi, March 8: The government is committed to fortifying the healthcare infrastructure, said Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda. He said this while reviewing the progress and evaluating the implementation of important healthcare initiatives at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. The Health Minister visited the institute's facilities and enquired about the availability of various patient care services and their functioning on the occasion of Jan Aushadhi Diwas.
Nadda also laid down the foundation stone of Regional VRDL (Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory), and inaugurated the Nuclear Medicine Facility, as well as an additional Amrit Pharmacy Unit-3 at AIIMS Bilaspur. “The government is committed to continue fortifying the healthcare infrastructure in the region,” said Nadda, while praising the remarkable growth of AIIMS Bilaspur since its foundation was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3, 2017. "The people of Himachal Pradesh and beyond would continue to benefit greatly from the top-notch medical education and healthcare services provided by AIIMS Bilaspur with the help and active cooperation of the Centre and the state,” he added.
The Nuclear Medicine Facility at AIIMS Bilaspur is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including PET/CT, SPECT/CT, SPECT radio-pharmacy/hot lab, and a Low-Dose Therapy (LDT) ward, with an investment of Rs. 30.43 crore. With these in-house state-of-the-art facilities, the department will be able to synthesise most of the necessary radiopharmaceuticals, enabling a wide range of diagnostic investigations such as renal scans, liver scans, bone scans, thyroid scans, cardiac scans, gastrointestinal scans, and cancer imaging.
In addition to comprehensive diagnostic services, the facility will also provide low-dose radionuclide therapy for patients suffering from thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrine cancer, liver cancer, and those experiencing bone and joint pain. “These services will be offered at significantly lower prices compared to the private sector, and patients enrolled in the PMJAY and Himcare insurance schemes, as well as those living below the poverty line, will receive these services free of charge,” Nadda said.
The dedicated ward will also facilitate day-care treatment for patients with low-risk thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, and other conditions at minimal costs. Further, the VRDL at AIIMS Bilaspur will be one of 11 regional VRDLs among a total of 165 across India, equipped with a state-of-the-art Biosafety Level 3 laboratory, advanced sequencing capabilities, and comprehensive diagnostic and research facilities. The establishment of the Regional VRDL is poised to play a pivotal role in diagnosing viral illnesses and other infectious diseases, addressing the evolving epidemiology of both known and emerging viral threats.
The Regional VRDL will not only enhance the capacity for timely identification of viral infections but will also provide localised expertise and services that are often lacking in smaller or remote healthcare settings. It aims to track disease outbreaks, improve understanding of disease epidemiology through robust surveillance and reporting systems, and bolster public health preparedness.