The country is in need of more Sports Injury Centres that can cater to needs of sportspersons in various parts of the country for diagnostic, surgical and rehabilitative interventions. The Union Ministry will support such Centres. The Union Health Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri J P Nadda stated this at the 5th Foundation Day celebration of the Safdarjung Sports Injury Centre (SIC), here today. The Health Minister added that the Ministry shall explore innovative models for making these Centres feasible.Nadda applauded the work being done by the SIC in surgery and rehabilitation of sports injury for many persons across the country. He further stated that the Foundation Day for any Institute is an occasion for introspection, to ponder over the roadmap for its expansion and to rise to the challenges presented by the growing opportunities. The Minister appreciated the step of introducing the course of MD, Sports Medicine in the curricula of the Vardhaman Medical College, which he stated was in sync with the vision of the Prime Minister of the country through his clarion call of Speed, Scale and Skill. Shri Nadda assured the SIC of all support for its expansion plans.
The Health Minister stated that it was indeed a matter of pride that the SIC has been recognised as a referral centre for the sportspersons in training for the Rio Olympics. He also appreciated that the Centre has received international recognition for its various programs and its excellence in treating sports injuries, in addition to adopting innovative models of partnering with the private sector in parts of its operations such as diagnostics which has a revenue sharing component.The Health Minister inaugurated the Vacusport machine, a high performance rehab equipment for accelerated tissue treatment post surgery which has been internationally used for vacuum therapy for sports injuries. He also released a Patient Information Booklet to mark the Foundation Day.Also present at the occasion were Shri B P Sharma, Secretary (HFW); Dr Jagdish Prasad, DGHS; Shri B D Athani, Spl DGHS; former Health Secretary Shri Naresh Dayal, Dr. A K Rai, MS of Safdarjung Hospital and senior officials of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Eminent former sportspersons Shri Bishen Singh Bedi, Ms. Anjum Chopra and Shri Jagbir Singh also graced the function.