The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) is willing to assist Fiji in developing its health care capabilities through partnership.

This was revealed by AIIMS’S Dean (Academics) and Professor of Radiotherapy, Dr P K Julka when he met with the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Jone Usamate, in Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India on Tuesday.

Mr Usamate was accompanied by Fiji’s High Commissioner to India, Yogesh Karan, chief pharmacist, Apolosi Vosanibola, first secretary, Sakeasi Waikere and second secretary Om Goundar.

They met with the Dr Julka and other doctors of the AIIMS. Mr Usamate and Dr Julka also discussed the importance of research in medical science.

“The Government of Fiji will benefit immensely from this partnership. We will encourage our officials to make use of the training which will benefit our health system back home,” Mr Usamate said.

He said Fiji was ready to engage with AIIMS.

Mr Karan said he would work with both the health ministries in Fiji and India to institute a Memorandum of Agreement for co-operation.

“Fiji would be applying for placements with AIIMS for professional development of medical staff under the Indian government’s International Technical Economic Co-operation (ITEC),” Mr Karan said.

He said Fiji would have opportunities to participate in medical conferences and seminars at AIIMS under this scheme.

Meanwhile, Dr Julka said their excellence had to do with several factors, small class size, excellent library facilities, liberal clinically oriented teaching, research exposure and the ability to set its own curriculum.

“Several surveys named AIIMS the best hospital in India overall, as well as the best in several individual fields such as cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, gynaecology and ophthalmology ahead of several specialised institutions,” Dr Julka said.

He said the hospital had maintained high standards of quality while attending to large numbers of patients at very low cost to patients, many of whom live in extreme poverty.

In 2006, the hospital attended to 3.5 million patients.

AIIMS started operation in 1956, and was built with a grant from New Zealand under the Colombo Plan.

It was founded in New Delhi after former Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru initiated the need for establishing the Medical Institute.

The institute is now rated in the top 10 medical institution in world.

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