VIMS to house CBRN medical mgmt centre

Visakhapatnam: When major disasters happen in industries in and around Visakhapatnam, victims were used to be airlifted to other states in order to save their lives and provide quality healthcare to them.

But not any longer as the Central government is setting up a secondary-level Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Medical Management Centre in Visakhapatnam.

With an intention to provide the best treatment to the victims of industrial accidents or disasters, the Central government selected 10 states in the country and identified sites to set up CBRN Medical Management Centres. Visakhapatnam has been identified as one of the places in Andhra Pradesh. Once commissioned, the city would be the maiden one to house such a centre in the two Telugu states.

Of the 10 states opted, eight states have submitted their proposals to the Union government. In connection with this, the Andhra Pradesh government has sent a proposal to establish the CBRN centre on the Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) premises.

Sharing details with The Hans India, Director of VIMS K Rambabu says the facility serves as a great boon to the people of North Andhra. "As Vizag is known as an industrial hub, the city also witnesses industrial accidents now and then. Facilitating the centre here will aid in providing quality medical care to the injured," he says. In times of disasters, the centre will not only provide quality medical care to the victims but also help treat pandemic-hit patients.

In VIMS, adequate facilities will be made available to provide advanced medical care related to chemical, biological and radiological accidents, barring nuclear accidents. A special building will be established on the VIMS premises for the purpose.

The list of proposed identified sites and states for establishing secondary-level CBRN Medical Management Centres includes BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi in Jharkhand, Assam Medical College and Hospital Dibrugarh and Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati in Assam, Government Medical College, Kota in Rajasthan, CHC, Shivpur, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Sub District Hospital in Palghar in Maharashtra, JPN Trauma Centre, AIIMS in New Delhi along with Odisha and Karnataka.

Experienced doctors and staff will be appointed at the facility which will come up with state-of-the-art facilities. By setting up such a disaster management centre at VIMS, Visakhapatnam in the state, people from across North Andhra could access sophisticated medical care services.