By TCN News,
New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College of Aligarh Muslim University is passing through a very critical stage primarily because of poor funding from the central government. AMU Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. Zamiruddin Shah on 20th July had a meeting with union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union health secretary PK Pradhan over the issue. The two rounds of meeting included joint secretaries, Mrs Anuradha Gupta, Vishwas Mehta and secretary department of AYUSH. The meeting was also attended by AMU alumni P. Mohammad and Dr Imteyaz Ahmad.
The main agenda of the meeting was the low maintenance funding of JNMC, the medical college and hospital of AMU by University Grants Commission. As UGC treats the JNMCH department like any other department of the university, the medical college and hospital under UGC is neglected. The maintenance grant of JNMC- AMU is static since 2005 with Rs 2 crore 10 lakhs per annum — this consists of Rs 54.77/ patient bed/day. The central government health services hospital (CGHS) maintained by the health ministry are provided grant Rs 250-300/ patient bed/ day.
AMU-VC suggested as JNMC is upgraded to AIIMS like institutions by PMSSY phase II scheme, so for the smooth functioning of the hospital recurring maintenance grant per annum should be allocated by MOHFW. Minister and Union health secretary agreed for upgradation of JNMCH-AMU and IMS-BHU to tertiary care referral hospital as an Institution of National Importance (an autonomous body) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the ordinance passed in the parliament. As these two medical college and hospitals are the backbone of populous state of Uttar Pradesh, so the funding and the development of quality tertiary healthcare and research can be taken over by the ministry. The affiliation of medical and paramedical courses with admission policies will be under respective universities (i.e JNMCH-AMU & IMS-BHU).
Union health secretary suggested to get extra funds from Nation Rural Health Mission (NRHM) of UP state to be funded for maternity and child health benefit in Hospital.
The MBBS intake of 150 can be increased to 250 as JNMC, Aligarh has 1050 bedded hospital. So the necessary infrastructure and health manpower as doctors and paramedics can be appointed to fulfill the requirement of Medical Council of India (MCI). In India doctor-patient ratio is low and there is urgent need of quality doctors from government medical colleges.
Ghulam Nabi Azad was eager to increase the intake of nursing college in JNMCH, as there was acute shortage of trained nurses in India.
AMU VC suggested to upgrade the department of radiotherapy, JNMCH, Aligarh to regional research of cancer centre with funding from National Cancer Control Programme. So the tertiary care cancer centre can be developed.
Union Health minister also assessed the status of construction work in progress for upgradation of JNMCH to AIIMS like institutions under PMSSY (pradhan Mantri swastha suraksha yojna). He asked his secretaries to follow up the contractor for early completion of JNMCH-AMU upgradation under PMMSY project.
The issue of low funding of JNMCH-AMU was first highlighted with the efforts of RTI by P. Mohammad, AMU alumnus based in Delhi and TCN published the report on 17th May 2012.
The issue of meager funding of JNMC was raised at zero hour of Rajya Sabha on 22nd May 2012. The question was regarding central university governed medical hospital. JNMCH, AMU, Aligarh is the only hope for tertiary healthcare for western UP districts of Rampur, Moradabad, Sambhal, Khurja, Badaun. In eastern UP, Institute of Medical sciences, BHU, Varanasi is funded by UGC. Both institutions are ailing with same condition. The central government hospitals in Delhi funded by the union health ministry for central government health services (CGHS) are adequately funded. Therefore there was proposal from MPs to include JNMC, AMU & IMS, BHU funding under the ministry.