Bhubaneswar: A research centre for advanced health sciences will come up in Odisha soon as the state govt and the authorities of AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, are in talks. Santosh Kumar Sahoo, senior vice-president of AIG Hospitals, while speaking to media persons here on Sunday, said, “The plan is in its early stage. The centre will work on knowledge and technology transfer, training, academics, medical research and other related work.” Sahoo was accompanied by law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan.“During my discussion with Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, chairman of the Hyderabad-based institute, he agreed to set up a research centre in the state. It will conduct research on new medical technology and provide training to healthcare professionals, apart from other mandates,” Harichandan said, adding, “I have also discussed the matter with chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi.”Harichandan said the chairman of AIG Hospitals will soon hold a discussion with the CM and the health minister on the proposed centre. He further said that the govt is trying to tie up with AIG to carry out liver transplantation procedures at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.Sahoo said they had tied up with the state govt earlier and started liver transplant procedures at SCB. “We successfully conducted two liver transplants at SCB. We are considering the proposal to tie up with the Odisha govt again,” he added.On April 3, 2024, SCB became the first govt hospital in Odisha to conduct a liver transplant. The second liver transplant procedure was conducted on Sept 9 last year. However, this was stopped after the agreement between the Odisha govt and the AIG Hospitals lapsed.
