IMPHAL JULY 28: Shakuntala Gamlin, joint secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, underlined the urgent need to erect a boundary wall of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal to ward off encroachers and anti-social elements. She also called for a master plan for the construction of high rise buildings which will last in future generation also.
She was interacting with Prof S Sekharjit, director, RIMS and other high officials in the conference hall of RIMS last evening in course of her visit to Imphal. The other official was G R Khetarpal, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government ofIndia.
Stating that RIMS is one of the centres of excellence she said that efforts should be made to check the brain drain and the tendency among some patients to go elsewhere for treatment. Apart from prohibitive expenses the patients face many practical difficulties elsewhere. Appreciating the College of Nursing which is providing nursing education at nominal expenses to the students of this region she also said that demands for technicians and paramedics are growing. She lauded the nurses from this region for their excellent services elsewhere.
She was concerned over the sinking buildings in the 300 acre RIMS campus and said that a second, campus should be searched. The total absence of water supply and unreliable power position had, surprised her. She underlined the need to address these issues since a modem hospital cannot be run without the same. Being a central institute there is no dearth of fund, she said.
Some post graduate students informed her about the shortage of hostel rooms. She was of the opinion that it will take about one year to complete the construction of hostels. She added that alternative temporary hostel accommodations for the students are being considered for urgent implementation.
After a graphic presentation of the RIMS back grounder Prof Sekharjit tabled many issues. These include the paydisparity between faculties of RIMS and other central institutes.