VPCI - Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Delhi

Introduction 

 The Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) is a unique postgraduate medical institution devoted to the study of chest diseases. It is a University of Delhi maintained institution and is funded entirely by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The institute is ideally located in the heart of the main campus of the University of Delhi, providing the requisite academic environment. The Institute fulfills the national need for providing relief to large number of patients in the community suffering from chest diseases. It has eminently discharged its role and has earned a unique place in the field of Chest Medicine.  

The main objectives of VPCI have been to conduct research on basic and clinical aspects of chest medicine, to train post graduates in Pulmonary Medicine and allied subjects, to develop new diagnostic technology and disseminate scientific knowledge related to Chest Medicine to other institutions in the country and to provide specialized clinical and investigative services to patients.

History 

The need for a teaching and research Institute in chest diseases was spelt out in the Bhore Committee Report (Ministry of Health) by highlighting an acute paucity of trained personnel in the specialty of chest diseases in the country. The Directorate of Ministry of Health, Government of India, therefore, approached Sir Maurice Gwyer, the then Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi, to start a course in chest diseases at the earliest.

In 1946, the Committee constituted by the Vice-Chancellor for this purpose recommended the establishment of a Chest Institute. A proposal to this effect was accordingly formulated by the Vice-Chancellor and submitted to the Government. Utilizing the teaching and training facilities of the Lady Hardinge Medical College, Irwin and Silver Jubilee Hospitals in Delhi, a diploma course in chest diseases was started in 1947 with Dr. R. Viswanathan, the then Deputy Director General, Health Services, Government of India, as the Honorary Director of the course.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Deputy Prime Minister of India, laid the foundation stone of the Institute on 6th April 1949. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the then Union Minister of Health, formally opened the Institute on 12th January 1953 and Dr. R. Viswanathan was appointed as the first Director, VPCI. The hospital wing, Viswanathan Chest Hospital [formerly known as Clinical Research Centre (CRC)], was started around 1956. It was inaugurated by the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 24th October 1957.