Committee set up to inquire into AIIMS functioning

New Delhi, June 19: The Centre today set up a three-member Committee to inquire into the functioning of AIIMS while an explanation will be sought from Institute Director P Venugopal.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this evening and briefed him about the recent controversy involving him and the AIIMS Director, told reporters here that the Committee would be headed by former Director of Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences Veliatha and have Health Secretary P K Hota and the Director General of Health Services as its members.

The Committee would deliberate on how to strengthen AIIMS and put it to the use for the purpose it was conceptualised. It would also inquire into the reasons for the decline in the quality of the institute during the past three to four years due to which research projects have not been completed on schedule and doctors are leaving AIIMS, Dr Ramdaoss said.

Asked whether the Committee would also inquire into the recent spat between him and Dr Venugopal's, Dr Ramadoss said it was an internal problem and amicable solution would be found.

However, he said an explanation would be sought from Dr Venugopal as to why he called up media and addressed resident doctors charging the Health Ministry with interferring in the functioning of the countries primer inistitute.

On whether the Director was taken into the confidence while constituting the Committee, the minister said he would be informed about it once he comes back from leave.

On whether the director has been invited for talks, Dr Ramdoss said that he was welcome to meet him. ''However, the director has not sought any appointment with him,'' he added.

Dr Ramadoss denied that efforts are being made to force the director to quit.

''Dr Venugopal is a senior and respected doctor. Nobody can tell him to go. I donot have a personal or ego clash with him.

However, I want to make AIIMS a medical hub and not a political hub,'' he added.

UNI