AIIMS OPD may start next month

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 30

After breaching the deadlines time and again, the OPD facilities at the AIIMS, Bathinda, may finally start in November as the PSPCL has facilitated the power supply to the campus.

According to sources, the testing of equipment meant for diagnostic tests like X-ray and ultrasound machines is now underway and the trial run of the OPD may start soon while the facility may be formally inaugurated any time in November. Sources said the authorities were also exploring the possibility of reaching an agreement with either Advanced Cancer Institute, Bathinda, or the local civil hospital for admitting the patients till the time the indoor patient facility of AIIMS gets constructed. Earlier, there were plans to start the OPD facilities for 10 departments from September 1, but it could not materialise. The classes for the first batch of MBBS students of AIIMS, Bathinda, have already started at the transit campus of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

In the past, Union Minister and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had been accusing the state government of deliberately creating hurdles in providing uninterrupted power supply to AIIMS. During her recent visit to Bathinda, Harsimrat had said, “Resorting to political vendetta on such a project will barely serve any purpose.”