by AIIMS Expansion Under PMSSY Boosts High-Quality Healthcare Across India
The Central government’s push to strengthen India’s healthcare system is showing significant results, with a massive expansion of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) hospitals across the country. According to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, this initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) is making specialized medical care more accessible and affordable for everyone.
For decades, getting high-quality tertiary care—meaning specialized treatment for complex health issues—often meant traveling to a major city, like Delhi. This created a huge burden on families and the existing hospitals. The goal of this expansion is to change that. Let’s break down what this development means.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)?
In simple terms, the PMSSY is a government scheme aimed at two main goals:
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To correct the regional imbalance in the availability of affordable, high-quality healthcare.
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To upgrade and strengthen medical education facilities in the country.
A major part of this scheme involves setting up new AIIMS-like institutions in states where they didn’t exist before. The idea is to have a top-tier medical institute in every region, so people don’t have to travel far for the best medical care.
A Look at the Numbers: A Huge Leap in Healthcare Capacity
The progress made under the PMSSY is impressive and can be seen in the numbers.
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New AIIMS Sanctioned: A total of 23 new AIIMS have been sanctioned to be set up in various states across the country.
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Functional Hospitals: Out of these, 12 AIIMS are already fully or partially functional, providing medical services to lakhs of patients.
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Massive Bed Capacity Increase: The establishment of these new institutions has led to a huge jump in the number of available hospital beds. The total bed strength at AIIMS has increased from around 6,000 to over 35,000 beds.
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Increase in Medical Seats: The expansion is also creating more doctors and nurses for the future. Over 2,000 new MBBS seats and more than 1,300 B.Sc (Nursing) seats have been added through these new AIIMS.
More Than Just Treatment: A Boost for Medical Education
The impact of this expansion goes beyond patient care. By setting up these new institutes, the government is also strengthening the foundation of medical education in India.
More medical seats mean more opportunities for students to become doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals. This helps address the shortage of medical staff in the country, especially in underserved areas. These new AIIMS are not just hospitals; they are centers of learning and research that will produce the next generation of medical experts.
What This Means for the Common Person
The biggest benefit of this nationwide AIIMS expansion is for the average citizen. It means:
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Access Closer to Home: You no longer need to travel hundreds of kilometers to a metropolitan city for specialized treatments like cancer care, heart surgery, or advanced diagnostics.
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Affordable Care: AIIMS institutions are known for providing world-class medical services at a highly subsidized cost, making it affordable for people from all economic backgrounds.
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Reduced Waiting Times: With more hospitals and more beds, the burden on existing major hospitals will decrease, which can lead to shorter waiting times for appointments and procedures.
This planned expansion under the PMSSY is a significant step towards building a robust and equitable healthcare system for all Indians.
