Mizoram governor urges Centre to set up AIIMS in state

AIZAWL:

Mizoram Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up a medical science facility on par with New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Mizoram, an official said on Sunday.

At a meeting with the prime minister in the national capital on Friday, the governor apprised him about the health issues in the state with special focus on AIDS, cancer, malaria, heart attacks and neurological problems, the official said.

Pillai stressed on the underdeveloped health infrastructure of the state "with basic amenities unavailable even at district hospitals."

The prime minister was informed that even Aizawl civil hospital lacks adequate medical facilities for treatment of some critical illnesses and most of the time serious patients have to go outside the state incurring huge expenses, the official said.

The governor submitted a memorandum to PM Modi for setting up of a super speciality facility in the northeastern state.

"That is the only way for easy access to affordable medical care and expert treatment," the memorandum read.

In his meeting with the prime minister in December last, Chief Minister Zoramthanga had urged him to upgrade the states lone medical college, Zoram Medical College (ZMC), into a medical college-cum-hospital like AIIMS, saying it would not only benefit residents of Mizoram but also people from neighbouring states.

The ZMC (formerly Mizoram Institute of Medical Education and Research), located at Falkawn village near here, was inaugurated by former chief minister Lal Thanhawla in 2018. (PTI)