Trip to Japan helped release JICA funds for AIIMS Madurai: Ma Su

Chennai: Health minister Ma Subramanian said he visited Japan to meet officials at the Japan international cooperation agency (JICA) for the release of funds to the central govt towards the construction of AIIMS-Madurai.Subramanian told reporters on Tuesday that following chief minister M K Stalin's directive, he travelled with the state health secretary and a Delhi-based official in charge of AIIMS Madurai, as JICA had delayed funding.
"We urged them to release the funds for the construction. After our visit, the funds, which were stuck for a long time, were disbursed and construction work began," he said.The AIIMS-Madurai campus in Thoppur near Madurai was notified on July 3, 2020, via the central gazette. "AIIMS is not nearing completion. They have constructed one block so far. Four years ago, they admitted 50 MBBS students, with classes at govt Ramanathapuram medical college. Every year since then, 50 students are admitted. JICA officials told us construction will be completed by 2028. So, the first batch might graduate before seeing the AIIMS building," Subramanian added.