6 AIIMS-like institutions by 2009, says Ramadoss

New Delhi, Jul 26: Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said six AIIMS-like institutions would be set up in the country by 2009, for which about Rs 17.07 crore had so far been spent on various start-up activities, and assured that funds will not be a constraint in providing super-speciality health services.

The AIIMS-like institutions are to be established in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal at a cost of Rs 332 crore each.

''The Prime Minister has assured that funds will not be a constraint,'' Dr Ramadoss said in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

He said the detailed project reports for these institutions would be ready by October-November this year. The construction would begin five- months after that, and the institutions would be ready in two-and-a half years by 2009.

He said 100 acres of land had recently been acquired for the Bihar AIIMS.

He said various start-up activities such as construction of boundary wall, pre-construction survey at the sites, selection of project consultant for providing comprehensive consultancy services and selection of architectural designs had been taken up for all the six institutions.

For these, he said, a provision of Rs 75 crore had already been made for 2006-07 under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

For upgradation of 13 existing government medical institutions, for which an outlay of Rs 120 crore each had been envisaged, proposals had been invited from the state governments.

The assessment reports and gap analysis for each of the institutions was also being carried out, he said.

UNI