20 new super specialty AIIMS – like hospitals being set up
The annual report (2017-18) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) states that ‘the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) has been launched with the objective of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/reliable tertiary healthcare services and to also augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. PMSSY has two components – setting up of AIIMS like institutions and up-gradation of existing State Government Medical Colleges/ Institutions and is being taken up in phased manner. Upgradation programme broadly envisages improving health infrastructure through construction of Super Specialty Blocks/Trauma centres etc. and procurement of medical equipment for existing as well as new facilities on Central and State share basis. In first phase of PMSSY, six AIIMS one each at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh and up-gradation of 13 existing State Government Medical Colleges/Institutions(GMCIs) have been taken up. Under Phase-II of PMSSY, AIIMS at Rae Bareli and up-gradation of 6 is being taken up’. [...] The first claim is that ‘20 new super specialty AIIMS – like hospitals being set up’. [...] Fact: Six AIIMS-like institutions have been setup under the PMSSY scheme and are functioning, all of which were approved during the UPA. The current government approved setting up of 15 new AIIMS like institutions in these 5 years. Hence the claim is MISLEADING.