A.G. Ahangar

Shillong, Nov. 6: The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) was today termed as a derailed and defunct institute by its newly appointed director A.G. Ahangar.

“NEIGRIHMS so far is a derailed and a defunct train that needs urgent repair to put it back on track, and there is a need to revitalise the system to create a true island of excellence instead of inheriting a white elephant,” Ahangar told reporters at his first news conference this evening at the institute in Mawdiangdiang, on the outskirts of the city.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi officially inaugurated NEIGRIHMS in March 2010 during her visit here.

The Union ministry of health and family welfare selected Ahangar, a cardiac surgeon from Jammu and Kashmir, from among 35 applicants for the post. The competent high-powered selection committee chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided on his appointment.

Stating that he has come from Jammu and Kashmir to Mawdiangdiang with a mission, the cardiac surgeon said his dream was to make NEIGRIHMS a global institute.

However, Ahangar was not in a position to state the annual financial allocation being made to the derailed and defunct institute, which made NEIGRIHMS run for the last few years.

Outlining his priorities, he said he would give a push to post-doctoral, post-graduate, undergraduate, diploma and paramedical courses.

He also said he would bring excellence in patient care where a common man would be given equal treatment as any other VVIPs, develop work culture and bring in rigorous discipline and punctuality in the workforce.

Completing the unfinished or incomplete tasks and projects including human resources development, infrastructure improvement to reach out to the needy population including the below poverty line families and promoting “medical-tourism” in the region through the institute will be his other priorities, Ahangar added.

One of the challenges is that the institute’s undergraduate course (MBBS) is yet to receive recognition from the Medical Council of India (MCI). It is likely that being a member of the MCI, Ahangar would use his influence to gain the required recognition. Around three months from now, MBBS students will graduate from the institute, which is affiliated to the North Eastern Hill University here.

He also said there is a dearth of faculty in the undergraduate course, while some other departments have sufficient faculty. “Interviews for recruiting the faculty will be held soon,” Ahangar said, adding that suitable candidates from outside the region should be willing to come and serve here by sacrificing their goals, for a better India.

He said the management was willing to pay a better salary with perks and other incentives to those who are eager to come and serve in the institute. “There are challenges ahead and we will surpass them with the support and cooperation from all sections,” Ahangar said.