Ranchi, Aug. 23: The state government may have zeroed in on Deoghar for setting up an AIIMS, but the medical fraternity of Jharkhand feels it is a self-defeating purpose, insisting that the location of the speciality heal hub should be in Ranchi which is far better connected by rail, road and air to ensure that more people have access to quality medical care.
Dr Bimlesh Kumar, general secretary of Jharkhand State Health Services Association (JSHSA), said it was unfortunate that AIIMS would come up at Deoghar. "We are not opposing the setting up of a big hospital in Deoghar or Dumka. In fact, Santhal Pargana should have a medical college. But an All India Institute of Medical Sciences should come up in Ranchi," he said.
Dr Kumar, who is head of the association that represents all government doctors, explained his position in detail.
"AIIMS should be easily approachable from all districts. The site must be well connected through rail and air. Finally, AIIMS will be a teaching hub as well. Why doesn't the government realise that when doctors aren't ready to join the state services, who will come and join AIIMS in Deoghar?" he pointed out.
Last week, the state government informed the Centre that it was keen on setting up AIIMS in Deoghar in response to a letter asking for three or for alternatives. "We dispatched a letter last week mentioning our keenness on Devipur in Deoghar as the venue for setting up AIIMS," said principal health secretary K. Vidyasagar.
But chief minister Raghubar Das it seems is still undecided. "Setting up AIIMS in Jharkhand at the earliest is our primary objective," he told The Telegraph, but indicated that although he was keen on Deoghar, he was willing to consider other locations if there was a such a demand.
Das spoke of the Deoghar's strategic importance. "Deoghar has good rail and road connectivity and an airport is also coming up there. It is almost equidistant from Patna and Ranchi and would cater to the needs of poor tribals in the Santhal Pargana region, which lacks health care facilities. AIIMS would also boost the local economy," he said.
Indian Medical Association (Jharkhand chapter), however, is opposed to Deoghar. "It's political pressure. We oppose the way the government is taking decisions. We have always demanded that doctors be included in the decision making processes," said the state secretary of IMA, Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh.
"Big hospitals like AIIMS should be established at the state capital so that the people find it convenient to reach it," he added.
Dr R.K. Singh, the secretary of IMA (Ranchi district chapter), felt the state government needed to make up its mind about who AIIMS would cater to. "Will it be people of Jharkhand or those from Bihar and Bengal? Moreover, the state government should try and learn from its neighbours like Bihar. There, AIIMS could have come up at Begusarai or Sasaram, but it functioning out of Patna?" he said.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, which turns 60 this year, was intended to serve as a model institution for others through high standards of healthcare, education, and research. But the Delhi institution is overwhelmed with patients, conducting over 150,000 surgical procedures per year and receiving an average of over 8,000 out patients each day.
The new AIIMS-like institutions, first proposed in 2003 and approved in 2006, are being set up in a phased manner to remove regional disparities in healthcare facilities. Some of these, such as AIIMS-Patna, AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and AIIMS-Bhopal, are functioning.
