What makes AIIMS different, says Executive Director

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Guwahati is aiming to become a leading center for medical treatment, research, and innovation. With 1,700 surgeries performed in two years, the institute is positioning itself as a preferred medical destination for the Northeast. It aims to encourage patients to seek quality treatment within the region, reducing the need for travel to other states for specialized care. AIIMS Guwahati's state-of-the-art facilities and commitment to excellence will redefine medical services, ensuring advanced healthcare remains accessible to all.

Excerpts of the interview are as under:-

BNE- There are many hospitals in Guwahati. How AIIMS is different?

Ashok Puranik-  Our institution offers world-class education through rigorous selection processes and international standards. We have highly trained faculty, ensuring excellent clinical care delivery. We prioritize safety in medicine, procedures, and pre-operative preparation. We integrate drone services, yoga, meditation, alternative medicine, and research on tribal health and medicine. Our commitment to safety and innovation sets us apart from other institutions in the field.

BNE- What kind of innovation and medical research happening in AIIMS

Ashok Puranik- Innovation is not a one-time event, and it can occur in various fields such as drug discovery, equipment development, and vaccine development. For instance, researchers are working on developing a new anti-snake venom for tread snakes in the North East region, where our current venom is ineffective. Pharmacovigilance is used to reduce side effects in new medication formulations. Additionally, people discover new things, which are patented and published in international journals. This unique innovation is registered and rewarded. The team is also working on developing a cardiac message device, which uses a laparoscope to open the pericardium and open the dead heart. These projects demonstrate the importance of continuous innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

 
BNE- What infrastructural developments happened recently?

Ashok Puranik- The 200-acre complex includes hostels for girls, boys, and nursing, a dining hall, and a full PG hostel. It also features a canteen, auditorium, guest house, Ayush building, OPD buildings, lab and radiology services, and blood transfusion services. The IPD building is ready, with the ground plus seventh floor set to be completed soon. The hospital will cater to various surgeries, including urology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, ENT, general surgery, gynaecology, paediatric care, and neonatal care. It is accepting students and set to have 20 functional OTs.

BNE- These days there is lot of discussion on AI and data technology. How AIIMS is taking opportunity using these kinds of technology?

Ashok Puranik- Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the medical field by transferring human functions to machines, enhancing their processing abilities. AI-driven technology is being used in the ICU for cancer diagnosis, using a Picture Archiving and Communication Centre (PACS) system. IIT is also collaborating to incorporate data collection, gathering, and analysis. IIT offers a course on data analytics and AI, allowing medical and mathematics students to gain exposure to medical and engineering fields. In their final semester, students can pursue careers in data science, data analyst, AI expert, bio-technology, nanotechnology, and genomics. This shift in the role of surgery theatre surgeons requires expertise in image analysis, data science, genomics, biotechnology, protein synthesis, protein analysis, and histopathology.

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BNE- Will AIIMS be able to do away with the thinking that good treatment facilities are not available now?

Ashok Puranik- I am running 205 bed at the moment. I am supposed to be running 750 beds, which might be take two or three years to develop having all the equipment, expert people and skilled health paramedics and all those supporting people. So, it is just a matter of a few years before people will not be required to travel to any other cities because all the advanced facilities will be available here. People from the neighboring countries will be coming to this place.

BNE- As AIIMS is quite far from Guwahati city, don’t you think? 

Ashok Puranik- Yes, Brahmaputra Bridge is coming. That will already make a huge difference in saving time and travel. So, that will bring us a lot of patients instead of going to any other center, people will come to AIIMS Guwahati. We are already running a city bus that I have requested from Assam State Transport Co-corporation and they agreed. At the moment, few patients and our staff are using that particular bus. So, more buses are required. So, more buses will be required. I will be requesting the concerned ministry to provide more buses. If some philanthropists and corporate social responsibility people come with such kind of services which I am trying. Similarly, those facilities can be extended. Certainly, reaching AIIMS at this moment is a little difficult as it is almost 156 kilometers from the Brahmaputra bridge. So, the government has to think about transport facilities.