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Chandigarh: Arunachal health minister seeks PGIMER’s expertise for renal transplant programme
The visit aimed to reinforce efforts toward establishing a robust renal transplant programme in Arunachal Pradesh and to request continued academic and technical support from PGIMER
In an initiative to strengthen renal care services in the northeastern region, health minister of Arunachal Pradesh Biyuram Wahge, visited Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh on Thursday along with a senior delegation to further the ongoing collaboration between PGIMER and Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS).
The visit aimed to reinforce efforts toward establishing a robust renal transplant programme in Arunachal Pradesh and to request continued academic and technical support from PGIMER.
The minister was accompanied by advisor to health minister Mohesh Chai, TRIHMS director Dr Moji Jini, OSD to minister Gomi Basar. The delegation was received by PGI director Dr Vivek Lal, and other heads of the department and senior faculty involved in transplantation.
During discussions, it was highlighted that this visit marks the second batch of healthcare professionals from Arunachal Pradesh being trained at PGIMER. A previous team comprising doctors and transplant coordinators has already undergone extensive training under PGIMER’s mentorship. The current batch continues this partnership, ensuring capacity building and skill development for establishing a self-sustaining renal transplant ecosystem in the state.
Wahge said, “Our patients struggle to access transplant facilities and it is time we bring this critical service to our own state. PGIMER is a national institute of excellence and we are here to seek your mentorship, your support, and your experience to help us build a transplant programme in Arunachal Pradesh.”
PGI director Dr Vivek Lal said, “It is truly remarkable that the minister travelled all the way from Arunachal Pradesh, bypassing formal protocols, just to spend maximum time understanding our systems. His dedication to improving health services in his state is exemplary. PGIMER stands committed to supporting Arunachal Pradesh with structured training programmes, observer opportunities, and shared clinical protocols.”
The director PGIMER further elaborated on the pathways for in-service doctors from Arunachal Pradesh, including both sponsorship-based postgraduate training and short-term observer programmes that offer immersive exposure without interrupting essential services back home. Such dual-mode training strategies have already proven successful in other partnerships, including with the Indian Army, and are now being extended to Arunachal Pradesh.
