Imphal: Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated a new MRI block with 3-Tesla MRI machine, a new PG Ladies Hostel of 100 capacity (G+3), a new Neuro ICU block and the newly constructed College of Nursing (News Block) of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences(RIMS) Sunday.
Lok Sabha MP RK Ranjan Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba, Principal Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) Vumlunmang Vualnam, Director, RIMS Prof Ahanthem Santa Singh and Medical Superintendent, RIMS Prof Hemam Priyosakhi Devi and among others were present during the inauguration of these new facilities of RIMS.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the year 2014, has its heart set on the heart on the development of the northeast and its people. In cabinet meetings, he personally reviews all the plans for every minister. Various union ministers are, visiting north-east on a regular basis, drafting plans and ensuring successful implementation of the programmes and schemes. The Prime Minister, himself monitors every sector including health, education, communication etc.
On the health trend, Ayushman Bharat, is one of the most ambitious programme of this government and there’s no such scheme all over the world. Around 45-60 crores of poor people of this country have access to any of the 24,000 hospitals of the country under the Ayushman Scheme. Already 1,70,00,000 hospital admissions were recorded under this Scheme, he added.
Dr Harsh Vardhan lauded the RIMS authority for enabling the completion of the facilities, despite the hardships faced by the authority due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The Union Minister assured all possible assistance from his ministry to develop the RIMS as one of the best healthcare centres not only in the northeast region but also in the country.
He said that the Centre had already decided to create 75 new medical colleges in remote districts of the country where the people continue to suffer for years and are deprived of basic healthcare, education and all other facilities. As part of this initiative of Narendra Modi, Manipur will get a new Medical College at Churachandpur. He appealed to all the staffs of RIMS for full support in eliminating Tuberculosis by 2025 or before the stipulating target year of the Central government.
Giving keynote, Director, RIMS Prof Ahanthem Santa Singh presented a progress report of RIMS and highlighted the growth of the institution as well as the relentless services rendered by the staffs of RIMS during the COVID-19 pandemic. He proudly informed that RIMS is in the top 40 list of the National Institutional Ranking among the 500 medical institutions of the country for the last two consecutive years.
