Centre says every State should have AIIMS, Why not Kerala? asks HC

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court has asked the Central government to explain the delay in establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the state, despite the Centre’s policy of setting up one such institute in every state. The court also sought details on the criteria used by the government to decide the location of these premier medical institutes across the country.

The question was raised during the hearing of a petition filed by AIIMS Kasaragod Janakeeya Kootayma, a citizens’ collective seeking urgent steps to establish an AIIMS in Kasaragod.

According to a report by The Hindu, the High Court sought clarification from the Union government regarding the framework used to determine locations for AIIMS across India, while also questioning the absence of such an institution in Kerala. In 2014, the Union government had asked various state governments to identify and propose suitable locations where new AIIMS campuses could be established. Since then, AIIMS institutes have already been set up in 18 states, while construction work is currently underway in four additional states.

Earlier, in February, the High Court directed that a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare appear before the court virtually to explain the matter. In compliance with this order, a Joint Secretary from the ministry joined the proceedings online on March 11.

Medical Dialogues earlier reported in February that the Kerala High Court directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to clarify whether the land identified at Kinaloor in Kozhikode meets the central government’s norms for establishing an AIIMS. The land is currently under the control of the Kerala State Industries Development Corporation (KSIDC). The court has also instructed the Centre to carry out a feasibility assessment of the proposed site in coordination with the state government while the matter remains under active consideration.