Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Mar 2: AIIMS now have a Generic Pharmacy Store which will provide free medicines to patients without means. The Pharmacy Store and a convergence Block was inaugurated by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad at AIIMS here today.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr Azad said AIIMS had about 9000-10,000 patients treated at the OPD every day, and of these, many did not have the economic means to purchase medicines. “It is estimated that about 4000 patients will benefit through this store per day. The expense on these free generic medicines will be about Rs 1.2 cr every month, which will be borne by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” Mr Azad stated.
The Health Minister said the new Convergence Block would house the faculties for various departments such as Biology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pharmacology and Pathology. It will also have teaching rooms, labs, research units along with a Knowledge Centre.
The Convergence Block has been built at the cost of Rs 50.85 crore. It has 10 floors and two basement areas. The total built area is of 18463 sq. mts. The building design conforms to energy saving norms.
Mr Azad said during the past five years, the Ministry had taken several decisions for enhancing the infrastructure of health care around the country and also to strengthen the human resources, at all levels, to match this. This has resulted in about 55 per cent increase of MBBS seats and about 75 per cent rise in MD seats. The Cabinet passed the proposal for creating 71 new cancer institutes last year, the Minister said. In addition to this the Cancer Institute at Kolkata will be expanded with a new campus, he noted.
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