Shija Hospitals inaugurated the Itocha Block today at the SJ Auditorium, marking a major milestone in the expansion of advanced healthcare services in Manipur. The event was graced by M. Rajkumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West, as Chief Guest; Dr. M. Amuba Singh, Director, Shija Academy of Health Sciences, as Guest of Honour; and Dr. Palin Khundongbam, Chairman and Managing Director, Shija Hospitals, who presided over the programme.
The programme commenced with the welcome and keynote address by Dr. Jugindra Sorokhaibam, Director,
Medical Services, Shija Hospitals. He stated that the Itocha Block has been named in memory of the late
Khundongbam Itocha, father of Dr. Palin Khundongbam. He also shared that the SJ Auditorium is dedicated in
memory of the late Retd. Subedar Major Sorokhaibam Jhanjajit, father of Dr. Bonney Khundongbam and Dr.
Jugindra Sorokhaibam.
M. Rajkumar and Dr. Amuba commended Shija Hospitals for its sustained contribution to accessible tertiary healthcare and for strengthening the region’s medical ecosystem. Dr. Amuba further announced that Shija Academy of Health Sciences, the first homegrown private medical college in North-East India, will soon add a 100-bed hospital and a second lecture hall to its campus. Dr. Palin Khundongbam reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to affordable, people-centred, and high-quality healthcare.
A key component of the Itocha Block is the Shija Eye Hospital, an award-winning, Japan-recognised 40-bed
facility with five fully functional operating tables, and one of the largest eye hospitals in North East India.
Established in 2008, the Shija Eye Care Foundation received the Shri G.D. Agarwal Gomabai Netralaya Award in August 2023 for its work in community ophthalmology. Supported by approximately 50 caregivers, including nine eye specialists, it provides specialised services across cataract, glaucoma, retina, oculoplasty, and paediatric ophthalmology, and runs a PG DNB training programme. As of December 2025, it has delivered 9,404 free cataract surgeries, performed 138 corneal transplants, conducted 646 outreach camps, covered 543 villages, and completed 179 free cataract surgeries under the Shija Mission Myanmar initiative.
The Dialysis Unit II builds on Shija Hospitals’ leadership in renal care, with 124 kidney transplants supported by
a full-time transplant team, including the first deceased donor kidney transplant in North East India in
collaboration with JNIMS and the first ABO-incompatible transplant. The dialysis service currently supports 448
patients, conducts approximately 150 sessions daily including night shifts, and is expanding with 40 additional
machines. As of 22 January 2026, 1,06,653 CMHT and 1,03,565 PMJAY dialysis sessions had been delivered.
During the event, representatives from the biomedical engineering, engineering and maintenance,
procurement, civil works, MIS, and electrical teams were felicitated. The programme concluded with a vote of
thanks by Dr. Chetan Khundongbam, Joint Managing Director, Shija Hospitals.
