1,925 non-ICU oxygen beds and about 908 ICU ventilator beds currently available in 12 Regional AIIMS

New AIIMS are playing a pivotal role in dealing with the pandemic. These are the Regional AIIMS that have been set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, which now is playing a crucial role by providing advanced COVID Care to the needy. To fulfil the growing bed demands in different states, the Union Government is continuously boosting the bed capacities across India.

As per the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, a total of 1925 ICU beds and 908 ICU ventilator beds are available for COVID patients in 12 regional AIIMS. Within a span of just 1 month, over 600 ICU beds and 378 ICU ventilator beds have been added to these Regional AIIMS.

Starting from the second week of April, over 1,300 oxygen beds and about 530 ICU beds for COVID treatment have been added in 12 new AIIMS and the current availability of oxygen and ICU beds is about 1,900 and 900 respectively, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

*22 New AIIMS are approved under PMSSY*

So far under the Central Sector Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are approved. Of these, 6 AIIMS at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh are already fully functional. Whereas in the other 7 AIIMS, OPD facility and MBBS classes have already begun. However, in 5 other institutes, till now MBBS classes have only started.

*Regional AIIMS serving needy since last year*

The Regional AIIMS have played a vital role in the management of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic early last year. It is important to note that the Regional AIIMS severed at the areas where the health infrastructure was weak. When the COVID crisis hit India, these Regional AIIMS expanded their bed capacities for the treatment of moderate and severe COVID patients.

In order to tackle the increasing demand for COVID-Care hospitals during the 2nd wave of the pandemic, COVID treatment facilities at Raebareli and Gorakhpur was started during April-May, 2021.

This initiative by AIIMS has helped the State of Uttar Pradesh to proactively treat patients of remote districts like Fatehpur, Barabanki, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Ballia, Mau and Azamgarh.

*Central Government backing up these New AIIMS with COVID essentials*

The Central Government is allocating the medical essentials like ventilators, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, besides other consumables such as N-95 masks, PPE kits and essential drugs which includes Favipiravir, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab for the smooth and efficient functioning of these new AIIMS at the time of COVID-19 pandemic.

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was announced in August 2003 to address the imbalances in the availability of tertiary care hospitals and improve medical education in India. The scheme then received a fresh impetus to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of quality medical education in the underserved States, and many new AlIMS began setting up under this Yojana.

Therefore, being tertiary care centres, the new regional AIIMS also delivers other critical non-COVID health services to COVID patients such as dialysis or heart ailments, pregnant women, paediatric cases.

*Providing treatment for Mucormycosis:*

Even these regional AIIMS are now tackling the recent mucormycosis cases that are being reported from different states in India. This condition is generally seen in people with a weakened immune system and Diabetes. To serve the patients of mucormycosis effective and high-quality treatment is being offered by AIIMS Raipur, AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Patna, AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and AIIMS Bhopal. Some other regional AIIMS that aren’t fully functional yet are also offering treatment for the same.