AIIMS course to begin in July '12

Patna, Nov. 19: Jaiprakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences, being built at Phulwarisharif, would start appointing doctors and professors from January next year for its MBBS course, scheduled to begin from the July academic session.

“We will start the medical college from July 2012. Advertisement for appointment of doctors has been published. The appointments will be made by January 15. Further vacancies would be advertised as and when required,” Dr G.K. Singh, the director of JPN AIIMS, Patna, told The Telegraph.

On whether they needed more land for construction of residential premises, Singh said the number of accommodations available is far less than required. “We will have around 4,000 employees under various categories, including doctors and others. We can provide accommodation to only 200 persons against the requirement for around 2,000.”

When asked whether or not he would raise the matter with chief minister Nitish Kumar, the director said: “Nitishji has been quite helpful and co-operative and I will raise the matter with him and ask for 100 more acres to construct the residential premises. I will also raise the point of strengthening the peripheral healthcare system and district hospitals so that people do not need to come to AIIMS.

Explaining how it would be done, Singh said: “The main objective behind having AIIMS in Patna is to save people the hassle of going to Delhi. Similarly, our approach will be such that people residing in far-flung areas of the state need not come to Patna. JPN AIIMS doctors would advise rural patients through phone, Internet and other modes of communication.”

Singh said a three-member team constituted by Patna High Court, comprising petitioner’s counsel Mahendra Prasad Gupta, state government counsel Shashi Bhushan Kumar and the Centre’s counsel Vinay Kumar Pandey, met him yesterday in connection with the progress of construction work at the hospital.

“If there is any problem wit the construction work, we would seek further direction from the high court,” Gupta said after the meeting.