JP Nadda reviews progress of AIIMS Bibinagar in Hyderabad

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the progress of AIIMS Bibinagar, an Institute of National Importance established under Phase VII of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in 2019, at Bibinagar in Hyderabad. The project commenced in June 2022 at a cost of ₹1,110.55 crore.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said, “From only one AIIMS till the end of the 20th century, today the number of AIIMS in the country has increased to 23.” He stated that while the country had one AIIMS until the end of the 20th century, six additional AIIMS were established during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Since then, 16 more AIIMS have been added, taking the total to 23 institutions across the country. Of these, 18 are operational, while the remaining are under construction.

Nadda said, “Government has developed a uniform and integrated healthcare framework by strengthening tertiary healthcare institutions while simultaneously expanding and reinforcing secondary and primary healthcare.” He added that the country now has 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs serving nearly 1.5 billion people. He also noted that the number of medical colleges has increased from 387 in 2014 to 820 at present.

A presentation on the institute covered infrastructure development, medical education, patient care, research activities and operational challenges.

AIIMS Bibinagar currently has 132 faculty members and 133 senior residents. Its MBBS programme commenced after the institute was established, and two batches have completed the course. Postgraduate programmes are being conducted in 24 MD disciplines and five DM/MCh specialities. The B.Sc. Nursing programme, with an intake of 60 seats, started in 2024, while M.Sc. Nursing is being offered in five specialities. Allied health courses are also being conducted. The institute currently has 902 students, with a new MBBS batch expected to join shortly.

The institute is providing outpatient services across all major specialities and currently caters to around 1,800 patients daily. It has 250 inpatient beds, and emergency services have recently commenced. Laboratory investigations and radiological diagnostic facilities, including CT, MRI and DEXA, are available. AIIMS Bibinagar also provides teleconsultation services through e-Sanjeevani across all 33 districts of Telangana and extends healthcare services under the PMJAY-Aarogyasri scheme. Around 90 per cent of patients are registered under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

On the research front, the institute has secured research grants worth ₹64 crore through 129 projects and has published 1,156 research papers. It is also collaborating with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the manufacture of the carbon-impregnated leg prosthesis, ADIDOC.

Highlighting the institute’s community outreach initiatives, Nadda said AIIMS Bibinagar has adopted six villages and conducted 547 mobile medical camps. “The Institute also serves nearby communities through its Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) and Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC), benefitting 66,148 patients so far. A community radio station, with a reach of around 10 kilometres, has also been launched, and 43 educational programmes have been broadcast through the platform”, he added.

During the review, it was informed that around 87.4 per cent of the construction work, amounting to approximately ₹902 crore, has been completed. Construction of the C and F Blocks of the hospital, the AYUSH Building, Amrut Nivas, the Academic Block, and undergraduate and postgraduate hostel buildings has been completed, while retrofitting of older buildings is underway. The Radiotherapy and Operation Theatre complex is expected to be completed shortly.

Nadda stressed the need to strengthen human resources and highlighted the importance of recruiting more senior residents and providing them with greater opportunities. To address the shortage of faculty members, he advised that meetings of the Standing Selection Committee should be held at least four times a year. He also suggested exchange programmes with other AIIMS institutions and the engagement of visiting faculty members.

Following the review meeting, Nadda visited the inpatient wards, the upcoming Cath Lab in the Department of Cardiology, the robotic navigation system for tumour ablation and biopsy in the Department of Radiology, and the AYUSH Block, including the vaccination centre, yoga facility and the community radio station. He also reviewed the ongoing construction work across the campus.