India
JIPMER Pondicherry set for revamp
By IANS
Feb 13, 2006 - 5:14:00 AM

The Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Pondicherry is all set for an upgrade, with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss laying foundation stones for four new units Sunday.

The new departments and upgraded care centres at JIPMER will bring it at par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and PGI Chandigarh, the two premier state-owned medical education and research institutions in the country, Ramadoss said.

"The three institutions were started at the same time. While the AIIMS and PGI achieved renown rapidly, JIPMER lagged behind due to lack of attention and adequate funding," he added.

"It has long been my desire to see this institution in the deep south become the centre of excellence it deserves to be," he said while announcing an outlay of Rs.1 billion on the golden jubilee of the institution.

Started as the Ecole de Medicine de Pondichery by the French in 1823, the institution began its Indian innings in 1956 and was even voted the second best medical college in the country in a poll by The Week magazine.

Ever since Ramadoss took charge of the health ministry, he worked towards making JIPMER a world-class facility.

H. Chatterjee, a professor of surgery at JIPMER since 1964, said: "At last the funds have been released for upgrading that was long due."

A 360-bed super speciality block has been sanctioned, which is expected to come up in 22 months. Nearly Rs.900 million will be spent on this facility, which will have 10 operation theatres.

To the existing seven departments of healthcare, eight new ones will be added, including a department of nuclear medicine.

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