Bhubaneswar: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will start a modern burn care centre at its peripheral hospital here.

The centre will have a comprehensive burn unit with 50 beds, which includes a six-bed intensive care unit, an operation theatre and a whirlpool shower jet bathing system.

This will also have a 24X7 burn emergency ward along with a skin bank.

"This will be the first such facility in any government health care institute in the entire eastern region of the country," said an AIIMS official.

The Rs 14.87crore centre will be built with funds from the NTPC. The deal between the two sides was inked last Thursday. "The department of burns and plastic surgery of our institute will provide technical and clinical expertise for treating burn patients," said AIIMS director Gitanjali Batmanabane.

At present, only SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela have facilities to treat severe burn cases, while Capital Hospital only offers first aid service.

"The centre will treat patients with several kinds of burns and also facilitate research facilities for our students," said Batamanabane.

Experts said that about 30,000 to 40,000 persons in the state suffer various level of burns every year.

"Private hospitals have such facilities but not all can afford it," said specialist P.N. Sahoo.

Citizens have also welcomed the move. "AIIMS is one of the best government hospitals in the state and the new unit will add to its list of good services," said Patia resident Minaketan Hota.