CM visits AIIMS Bilaspur, promises assistance for expansion and modernisation
Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) — Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday assured full cooperation from the state government for the expansion and strengthening of AIIMS Bilaspur, saying authorities want the institute to grow into a premier healthcare centre that can better serve the people of the state.
Sukhu made the remarks during a one-day visit to Bilaspur district, where he held discussions with AIIMS faculty about healthcare services and operational needs. He said the government was taking a series of measures across the health sector aimed at improving access to specialised care within the state.
"We are making every possible effort to strengthen our medical colleges and provide world-class healthcare facilities... ensuring that patients do not have to travel outside the state for advanced medical treatment," Sukhu said.
The Chief Minister listed a number of steps being taken or planned by the state government:
- Financial and administrative support for the expansion of AIIMS Bilaspur to raise its capacity and range of services;
- Measures to attract and retain specialised medical professionals, including better salaries and perks;
- Relaxation of norms for designating doctors as professors, intended to ease staffing of senior academic posts;
- Strengthening of diagnostic infrastructure across the state with targeted MRI installations.
Officials said the state has set a target to increase postgraduate medical (PG) seats by 330, a move the government expects will expand the pool of specialists available to patients within Himachal Pradesh.
Diagnostic upgrades and regional coverage
As part of diagnostic enhancement, Sukhu highlighted recent and planned MRI upgrades at several hospitals. The state has installed three-Tesla MRI units at IGMC Shimla and AIIMS Chamiyana, and is procuring 1.5-Tesla MRI machines for a number of regional facilities.
| Facility | Planned/Installed MRI |
|---|---|
| IGMC Shimla | 3-Tesla (installed) |
| AIIMS Chamiyana | 3-Tesla (installed) |
| Regional hospitals — Bilaspur, Kullu, Una, Solan | 1.5-Tesla (being installed) |
| District Hospital Kinnaur | 1.5-Tesla (being installed) |
| Dr Y.S. Parmar Government Medical College and Hospital, Nahan | 1.5-Tesla (being installed) |
| Zonal Hospital Dharamshala | 1.5-Tesla (being installed) |
| Civil Hospital Palampur | 1.5-Tesla (being installed) |
The upgrades are intended to decentralise advanced diagnostics and reduce pressure on tertiary centres, including the expectation that more patients will receive definitive care without travelling to other states.
New areas of work and collaborations
Sukhu also said the state government had initiated work in emerging fields such as gene therapy and phototherapy, and that discussions were underway with doctors in the United States to seek collaboration and technical expertise. No firm timelines or partner institutions were specified during the visit.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani, former minister Ram Lal Thakur, former MLA Tilak Raj, AIIMS Executive Director Lt Gen (Dr) Daljit Singh, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar and other dignitaries.
Officials said the state aims to deliver upgraded medical teaching and treatment facilities by December this year, so that advanced care becomes more accessible within Himachal Pradesh.
Health administrators and residents in Bilaspur will be watching implementation closely, as expansion of AIIMS Bilaspur and the planned diagnostic upgrades would directly affect local access to specialised treatment and the availability of trained medical staff.
