BATHINDA, Sept. 29 — The Union health and family welfare ministry has given an in-principle approval to set up a 300-bed trauma centre at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, marking the first major expansion of the central institute since its establishment in 2019.
Executive director Dr. Ratan Gupta, who assumed charge on Thursday, said a detailed plan for the centre is being prepared. “The blueprint will soon be submitted to the Union government for approval. After the formal sanction, it will take two-and-a-half years to develop an exclusive new block,” he said.
According to Gupta, the 30-bed emergency ward at AIIMS-Bathinda has been overwhelmed by a rising inflow of trauma patients. “On average, doctors are attending nearly 50 trauma patients daily. Hence, a dire need for a dedicated trauma centre was felt,” he said. The new facility will provide round-the-clock care through orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care departments.
Former Union minister and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has repeatedly raised the demand for a trauma centre, including in Parliament. Hospital authorities said the project would significantly strengthen Punjab’s only centrally funded public sector hospital.
AIIMS medical superintendent Dr. Rajiv Gupta noted that the centre would help ease pressure on the hospital. “Patients from far-off areas are rushing to Bathinda for quality and affordable treatment by super specialists. The new project will add more beds for IPD treatment and meet the growing inflow,” he said.
In addition to the trauma centre, AIIMS-Bathinda is set to launch a new initiative for in-patient departments (IPD) by mid-October. Under the project, all medicines will be provided directly in the wards. Gupta explained that the measure was introduced because attendants often had to run to pharmacies for drugs. “The initiative will also curb the alleged malpractice of non-availability of medicines at AMRIT and Janaushadhi Kendras,” he said.
The scheme will first cover patients under the Ayushman Bharat healthcare programme from October 15.
