AIIMS Guwahati poised to be Northeast’s medical hub, eyes global patients

Within just two years of its inauguration, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Guwahati, the lone AIIMS in the Northeast, is positioning itself as a premier healthcare hub not only for bordering states but also for neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, its newly-appointed president Dr. B.K.S. Sanjay said on Saturday.

Speaking to PTI after assuming charge on Friday, Dr. Sanjay, a Padma Shri awardee and renowned orthopaedic surgeon, said the institute’s immediate priority was to strengthen its existing facilities before rolling out new and specialised services. “The first need is to strengthen the existing services and then, we will start other services as well for the whole of North East. People from neighbouring areas and even other countries will come here for treatment,” he said.

Dr. Sanjay revealed that AIIMS Guwahati plans to develop highly specialised services unique to the centre, including advanced corrective surgeries for physical deformities. He underscored the institute’s role in bridging healthcare gaps by ensuring free and quality medical care. “Food grains are being provided to all, free education is being ensured. Healthcare was the only aspect left, and it is being taken care of now,” he added.

The institute, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, 2023, is located about 25 km from Guwahati at Changsari. Currently, it has 41 departments, 367 functional IPD beds, and caters to nearly 2,000 patients daily in its OPD. Alongside treatment, it offers MBBS, postgraduate, and BSc Nursing courses.

Highlighting Assam’s high cancer prevalence, Dr. Sanjay stressed that prevention and early detection were crucial. “If a malignant tumour is detected early and removed, the risk of recurrence is lower, spread is limited, and survival chances improve,” he said, urging people to consult doctors promptly on noticing symptoms such as persistent pain, lumps, or coughing blood.

Addressing concerns of drug abuse in the region, AIIMS Guwahati’s Executive Director Dr. Ashok Puranik said the institute runs a dedicated de-addiction facility supported by psychiatrists and psychotherapists, with research collaborations with NIMHANS, Bangalore. Eligible patients are covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme for free treatment.

On the question of setting up satellite campuses across the Northeast, Dr. Sanjay expressed reservations, citing challenges in recruitment, housing, and educational facilities for faculty families. He emphasized that the focus should be on grooming AIIMS Guwahati into a centre of excellence rather than stretching resources thin.