Chandigarh, February 19
In a significant step towards strengthening tertiary healthcare infrastructure, the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) meeting of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, was held yesterday in New Delhi, chaired by Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
The meeting resulted in the approval of 82 new posts at PGIMER, comprising faculty, non-faculty and senior resident positions, significantly strengthening the institute’s clinical and academic workforce. In addition, the Standing Finance Committee sanctioned the procurement of a state-of-the-art 256-slice CT Scanner for the Neurosciences Centre , a major upgrade that will substantially enhance diagnostic precision, neuro-emergency response, and overall patient care services.
Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, who led the institute’s delegation at the meeting, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for its continued support and guidance as he stated, “The approval of 82 posts and the 256-slice CT scanner is a timely and vital support to PGIMER. It will strengthen our clinical services, ease workload pressures, and significantly enhance neuro-emergency care where every minute counts. We remain committed to delivering accessible, high-quality care to patients from across the region.”
The meeting was attended by senior officials including Pankaj Rai, IAS, Deputy Director (Administration); Ravinder Singh, IAAS, Financial Advisor, Lt. Col. Gurvinder Singh Bhatti Superintending Hospital Engineer and Prof. Rakesh Kapoor Professor-Incharge (E.P.), along with other Ministry officials. Detailed deliberations were held on infrastructure expansion, human resource augmentation and equipment modernization to keep pace with growing healthcare demands.
The newly sanctioned posts include key faculty positions across critical departments, thereby strengthening PGIMER’s academic and clinical capacity. The augmentation of manpower is expected to substantially improve service delivery, reduce workload pressures and enhance patient-to-doctor ratios. These approvals come at a crucial time as PGIMER continues to witness a steady rise in referrals from across North India.
A major highlight of the meeting was the approval for installation of the 256-slice CT Scanner at the Neurosciences Centre. This advanced imaging system will provide high-resolution, faster and more accurate diagnostics for complex neurological, neurosurgical, stroke and trauma cases. The new facility will significantly reduce waiting time and minimize patient inconvenience.
The decisions taken at the Standing Finance Committee meeting mark a decisive step towards capacity building at PGIMER, further consolidating its position as a premier referral centre serving millions across the northern region of the country.
