Construction of AIIMS in Madurai had not yet started, owing to the Central government’s reluctance in pressing for funds from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian.
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Addressing the press after the inauguration of the new building at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on February 27, he said that we were informed that the AIIMS in Madurai unlike the other AIIMS in the country would be funded by JICA.
“The Central government has assured us that the construction works will start by March this year and end by 2028,” he added.
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Refuting the claims that new GRH building was deliberately inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the same day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Madurai, he said that Mr. Stalin had already planned the inauguration 15 days ago and it was only a coincidence.
Mentioning the demand for a permanent ‘108’ ambulance to be stationed at the Kalaignar Centenary Library, Mr. Subramanian said they had provided one ambulance for the library, and it would operate immediately.
Answering a question about the people being demanded to produce the Kalaignar insurance scheme even when they were bed-ridden, he said, “Kalaignar insurance scheme was being extended to more people after the DMK government took charge and there would be no problem in that. We have also instructed doctors to accept a valid residential address, if the patient does not have the insurance card.”
Ruling out the need for helicopter ambulance in the State, he said, previously only 12 government hospitals in the State had the organ harvest licence and so the transportation of the harvested organs was a big task but now since the licence was given to all the government hospitals in the State, it would not be a big issue for the transportation.