New Delhi/Agartala, Oct 15: In a major step towards strengthening healthcare services and providing better medical facilities to the people of Tripura, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi on Wednesday, officials said.
An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that the MoU was signed between the AIIMS, Delhi and the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Tripura government in the presence of Chief Minister Manik Saha in New Delhi.
CM Saha, who holds the Health and Family Welfare portfolio, said it is a matter of great pride that this MoU has been signed for the development of medical colleges, as well as state and district-level hospitals in Tripura, to transform them into Centres of Excellence in medical education and super-speciality healthcare services aligned with international standards.
“The state government envisions transforming Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GBP Hospital into a medical hub equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for patient care, modelled on the excellence of AIIMS, Delhi,” the Chief Minister said after the signing of the MoU.
CM Saha, who himself is a dental surgeon, stated that AIIMS, Delhi, is a globally acclaimed institution known for its pioneering contributions to medical education, research, and advanced patient care.
“The collaboration between AIIMS, Delhi, and the Health Department of Tripura marks a significant step towards enhancing the overall quality and reach of healthcare services across the state,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to providing the best possible healthcare services to its citizens. On this occasion, AIIMS, New Delhi Director M. Srinivas, and senior officials from the Health Department of Tripura were present at Tripura Bhawan, New Delhi.
Meanwhile, a four-member team of AIIMS, New Delhi, led by its Director Srinivas, visited government-run AGMC and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital and other hospitals in June to study the health services and related aspects. The AIIMS, Delhi team visited Tripura at the request of Chief Minister Saha.
The Tripura Chief Minister on Tuesday held a meeting with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda in New Delhi and discussed various health infrastructure and manpower related issues, including the setting up of a new medical college in the state, an official said.
A senior official of the CMO said that the Chief Minister has informed Union Minister Nadda about the state government’s plan to set up a new Medical College at Kulai in northern Tripura’s Dhalai district, which is an aspirational District, on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis.
Saha also discussed the establishment of a Tertiary Ophthalmology Hospital at Agartala and the setting up of an Immunology Lab for Organ Transplant services at the government-run AGMC and GBP Hospital.
The Chief Minister requested the Union Minister, who is also the National President of the BJP, to provide funds for procuring advanced medical instruments at the Super Speciality Block at the AGMC. CM Saha also urged for additional funds for Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY) to settle the pending claims.
Tripura currently has three Medical colleges – Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC), Tripura Medical College (TMC) and Tripura Santiniketan Medical College (TSMC). The TSMC is a private medical college, while the TMC is governed by a state government-constituted society.
IANS
