Azim Premji Foundation grants ₹500 crore to CMC Vellore for new medical college

As part of this partnership, the existing 120-bed hospital at Chittoor will be upgraded into a 422-bed teaching hospital

The Bengaluru-based Azim Premji Foundation has extended a ₹500 crore grant to Christian Medical College, Vellore, to establish a new medical college and teaching hospital on its Chittoor campus.

As part of this partnership, the existing 120-bed hospital at Chittoor will be upgraded into a 422-bed teaching hospital. A medical college, with an intake capacity of 100 students, will also be set up. The primary focus of this initiative is to provide value-based healthcare and medical education, especially for the disadvantaged.

“The grant will enable CMC Vellore to extend its distinctive approach to MBBS education, with an emphasis on Primary-cum-Secondary Health Care, to help address the growing disparities in the healthcare sector,” said Vikram Mathews, Director of CMC Vellore, during a press conference in Bengaluru after signing the agreement.

Dr. Mathews emphasised that the new medical college and teaching hospital at Chittoor will serve as a replicable model for relevant medical education, healthcare delivery, research, and outreach. This model will be designed to address the financial, societal, and resource constraints of the country. CMC Vellore is set to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2025.

He added that the necessary clearances for the new facility will be obtained within the next six months, and the hospital is expected to start operations in two-and-a-half years. “The medical college will begin two years after the hospital starts functioning and necessary NMC approvals are obtained,” he said. Future expansion will be carried out in phases.

Anurag Behar, Chief Executive Officer of the Azim Premji Foundation, lauded CMC Vellore for its high-quality education and healthcare, delivered with a strong sense of social commitment. “The agreement builds on the close association between the two organisations that began in 2020 when the pandemic disrupted India’s healthcare system,” he said.

Published - October 10, 2024 08:17 am IST