Tripura to modernise GB Pant Hospital with AIIMS Delhi collaboration: Health Secretary

Tripura is set to strengthen its main referral hospital, GB Pant Hospital, through a new partnership with AIIMS Delhi. Chief Minister Manik Saha will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AIIMS Delhi on October 15 in New Delhi.

The agreement aims to upgrade GB Pant Hospital to AIIMS standards over the next three years, covering both medical and non-medical aspects. “AIIMS Delhi will help us in medical and non-medical matters. We will also send our staff to AIIMS Delhi for training, and they will send their doctors to GB Pant, etc.,” Health Secretary Kiran Gitte said.

Officials noted a significant decline in the number of referral cases from Tripura over the years. “It was 2,000 in 2018, and last year the number was 671. We are hopeful that the number will decline further this year. We must ensure that no patient feels that their diseases cannot be treated here,” Gitte added. He emphasised that while patients can choose to seek treatment outside the state, it should never be out of necessity.

The government is also expanding medical education and healthcare infrastructure in Tripura to meet human resource needs. “In our state, more medical colleges and degree courses in the health sector are coming up. The main requirement in the health sector is human resources, which are available in our state, and in the coming days, there will be no crisis in human resources. The state government is also providing infrastructure support. We are hopeful that every year the name of GB Pant Hospital will become better,” Gitte said.

GB Pant Hospital, with over 1,400 beds, has seen several development projects in recent years. Plans include a mother and child care wing, a critical care block, a communicable diseases block, and a new administrative block for Agartala Government Medical College.

“Every year, the state government provides over Rs. 600 crores in budgetary support for GB Pant Hospital,” Gitte added.