BATHINDA, Sept. 29 -- The Union health and family welfare ministry has accorded an in-principle approval to construct a 300-bed trauma centre at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda. It will be the first major expansion of the central institute that was established in 2019.

Dr Ratan Gupta, who joined as the new executive director (ED) of AIIMS on Thursday, said that a blueprint for the trauma centre is being prepared and would be submitted to the Union government for approval.

The trauma centre will provide 24-hour definitive care support to victims by the specialties of orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.

Gupta said that the 30-bed emergency ward...