Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, virtually inaugurated the permanent campus of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Guwahati, Assam.
The inauguration was part of the ceremony that also laid the foundation stone for NIPER Hyderabad and NIPER Raebareli. The event marked a significant boost to healthcare infrastructure in the Northeast, as Mandaviya dedicated five new facilities at the Regional Institute of Paramedical and Nursing Science (RIPANS) in Aizawl, Mizoram, to the nation.
According to ANI reports, the Union Minister also laid the foundation stone for over 80 units of health infrastructure in seven northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, under the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), and the National Health Mission (NHM).
Mandaviya, expressing his elation at the inauguration and foundation stone laying, highlighted the government's commitment to making NIPERs a bridge connecting knowledge, education, research, and business. He emphasized the vision for NIPERs to contribute significantly to promoting overall human health and well-being in the field of medicine, not only nationally but also globally.
Underlining the priority given to the development of the Northeast, Mandaviya pointed out the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region, focusing on the 'Act East' mantra. He mentioned initiatives like Vibrant Village for the Northeastern and Himalayan regions, emphasizing the government's efforts to address issues of education, health, connectivity, and employment in the Northeast.
Mandaviya praised Assam for establishing a grid of cancer treatment centres with the help of the Tata Memorial Institute, benefiting the entire Northeast. He also applauded the efforts to reduce India's dependence on imported APIs and medical devices, mentioning the creation of three bulk drug parks and the launch of the PLI scheme in the pharma and MedTech sector.
Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers & New and Renewable Energy; Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, Assam; Prof. Manik Saha, Chief Minister, Tripura; Keshab Mahanta, Health Minister, Assam; Lalrinpuii, Health Minister, Mizoram were among the dignitaries present on the occasion. MPs and MLAs from the Northeast region were also present.