WB govt reluctant about AIIMS in north Bengal: Khan Chowdhury

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare A H Khan Chowdhury today said the West Bengal government is reluctant about the setting up of an AIIMS centre in north Bengal despite the lack of medical facility in the region.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also interested that AIIMS comes up at Raiganj and Rs 900 crore had been sanctioned for it. But the state government is reluctant," Khan Chowdhury told newsmen here.
"All should come forward," he said adding the people of the region are forced to go to south India now in the absence of adequate medical infrastructure.

He said the proposed research centres at Malda Medical College and at Siliguri would go on stream within the next two months and would be fully funded by the Centre.
Research will be done on the reason behind recurring crib deaths at Malda hospital and on non-communicable diseases.
About the Malda Medical College , the union minister said he had personally spoken to Medical Council of India secretary to see that it is not closed down.
The MCI has derecognised the institute for its inability to fulfill all parameters.
"I have also asked the medical college principal and the state chief secretary to take steps to rectify the shortcomings in the immediate future and let us know the time required to do so," Khan Chowdhury added.