TN cites formula to enrol 50 students for proposed Madurai AIIMS

The state government on Monday informed the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that 50 students would get admissions each in temporary campuses in Madurai, Theni and Sivaganga Government Medical Colleges in the first phase. The state in its counter affidavit also expressed its readiness to extend all its support for the establishment of AIIMS Hospital at Thoppur in Madurai at the earliest. 

A public interest litigation petition filed by K Pushpavanam of Madurai came up for hearing before a division bench of Justices TS Sivagnanam and S Ananthi. As per the data available in the website of the ‘Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’ there are totally 22 new AIIMS announced so far under this component of which 6 AIIMS are already functional and 16 more AIIMS are approved by the Cabinet and not functional yet, the petitioner stated. 

On January 2021, the Union government had planned to co-sponsor the cost of establishing the ‘AIIMS, Madurai’ along with ‘Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Citing these developments, the petitioner demanded the functioning of ‘AIIMS, Madurai’ on temporary premises, offer OPD services and also to conduct MBBS classes. 

The Bench, after hearing the plea, directed the Union Health Ministry and Director of AIIMS to provide explanation for the counter affidavit of TN government. The case is adjourned to July 30.