SHILLONG: The State’s dream of having its own medical college is unlikely to become a reality anytime soon since the work for the new Reid Chest Hospital at Umsawli is yet to be completed.
The State Government plans to construct the Shillong Medical College and Hospital at Jhalupara where the present Reid Chest Hospital is located.
The State Government had to hand over the land at Jhalupara by October to pave way for the construction of the medical college but the Government is caught in a fix since it has no option of shifting the patients with the hospital at Umsawli still under construction.
Health and Family Welfare Minister A.L. Hek said that around 60 per cent of the work at Umsawli has been completed and efforts are on ensure early completion of the hospital which would pave way for shifting of the patients from the present TB Hospital.
It may be mentioned that the State Government has targeted 2017 to enroll the first batch of students in the proposed Shillong Medical College and Hospital.
The State Government has inked a concessionaire agreement with Kolkata-based KPC Group for setting up of the much-awaited Shillong Medical College under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode.
The proposed Shillong Medical College will come up at Jhalupara on a plot of land measuring 23.8 acres and will house over 500 beds and is expected to cater to over 200,000 patients every year.
As per the project teaser prepared by the IFC, the Government is proposing to construct a 100-seat medical college with a 500-bedded associated teaching hospital with flexibility on phased development in accordance with regulatory requirements.
The selected private partner will also be allowed to develop other ancillary activities (educational and medical) such as a specialty hospital as a private undertaking.
The Government would require a maximum contribution of Rs.100 crore from the private firm for the project.