PGI nears becoming e-hospital, says Union health minister JP Nadda

Union health minister JP Nadda, who was at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, to attend its 34th convocation on Friday, said the institute was very near to becoming an e-hospital.

Union health minister JP Nadda, who was at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, to attend its 34th convocation on Friday, said the institute was very near to becoming an e-hospital.

Expressing happiness over initiatives taken by the PGIMER administration in this direction, Nadda said the institution was on course to realise the Prime Minister’s dream of digital India. Citing the initiatives, Nadda said online OPD registration was already in place and the process to automate its diagnostic services and payment facilities was under process. These facilities would save a lot of time and effort of the patients, he said.

He urged graduating doctors to show empathy and compassion for the poor, under-privileged and vulnerable.

The minister said the PGIMER had been constantly upgrading its capacities in patient care, medical education and research.

He said medical colleges were being upgraded by setting up super specialty blocks in 70 of them across the country. “We are expanding the network of our medical colleges in a big way by upgrading 58 district hospitals to medical colleges. As many as 20 state cancer institutes and 50 tertiary cancer care centers are being set up,” the health minister said.

Earlier, PGIMER director Prof Yogesh Chawla briefed the guest on the institute’s history and latest developments. He said PGIMER planned to develop a neurosciences centre, mother and newborn centre, geriatric and chronic rehabilitation centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief guest at the convocation, honuored nine gold medallists.