VIMS to be developed into a teaching Hospital: Kamineni

Vishakhapatnam: The state government in its attempt to turn Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) into the state’s premier healthcare and research centre, is planning to give it the shape of a teaching Hospital.

Commenting on giving it an autonomous status Health Minister, Kamineni Srinivas while on a visit to King George Hospital said, they has many ideas on its development. The cabinet planned to develop in on the lines of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Tirupati, he added.

Started on 110 acres of land in Health City, adjacent to the national highway, VIMS was started with the idea of service to patients, a long time ago.

September, last year,saw it threw open its doors to the sick, after months of delay, as the privatization proposal for it, had led to widespread protests and resulting delays.

“Now we are getting 500 out-patients. Once the in-patient strength goes up we may consider appointing doctors on a permanent basis,” said Srinivas replying to a query on the proposal pending before the government for recruitment of its own doctors by VIMS.

Mr. Srinivas revealed that advanced diagnostic facilities had already been initiated under public private partnership program.He said VIMS’s teaching hospital status for Dr. NTR Health University, would attract lot of funds to turn it into a premier referral hospital.

Speaking about its future as a teaching hospital of repute, the Minister said, it was a boost for eradicating ailments of people of the state, and was on its way to becoming a world class research centre. He said the hospital with its outstanding infra structure, had the makings of becoming a top teaching hospital in the country.

VIMS equipped with all the super specialties, except cardiac care and surgeries, is soon to be made into a super specialty, by introduction of the missing two. King George’s on the other hand offers specialist care for cardiac care.

Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, addressing the TDP Mahanadu held recently stated that they are considering autonomy for VIMS and Rs. 200 crore had been allocated for the purpose of developing the hospital, reports Hindu.