SHILLONG: The process for the construction of Meghalaya’s first medical college has started with Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma laying the foundation for Shillong Medical College and Hospital here on Wednesday. The Medical College and Hospital will be built on a PPP mode.
Speaking on the occasion, Mukul Sangma lamented that finding land was a big challenge for which many Government projects were often delayed in the state even as he added that government had adopted a new strategy of giving Category C and D jobs to people who donate their land for government projects.
Sangma also said that the government has adopted a new strategy to provide treatment to the people and health department has been asked to come up with a proposal with ideas on creating beautiful medical infrastructures in the state where patients would not feel home sick and they would like to stay in those hospitals for full treatment which sometimes require months for critical disease.
In addition, the patients would be looked after by friendly medical staffs who will be given specialised training. Chief Minister, was also not happy at the way treatment was provided to patients in institutes like AIIMS and even NEIGRIHMS where patients are asked to come after a week for various tests due to increase footfall and this is the reason, the state should have enough doctors to look after the patients.
Maintaining that there was not enough space for young competent students who wants to pursue medical studies, Sangma said that the initiative of Shillong and Tura medical College was just a beginning and there would be many more medical colleges in the state.
According to Sangma, there are vacant 110 posts of specialists in the state as on date while there are another 150 sanctioned posts in the state which needs to be filled.
Earlier, Urban Affairs Minister, Ronnie V Lyngdoh rued that people for the last 40 years had been complaining about the shortage of doctors in the state but nobody did anything but Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma had the courage to take initiative to set up two medical colleges in the state.
He also said that the medical colleges will bridge the gap between the doctors and patients.
PWD (Roads) Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh who was also present on the occasion defended the decision of the Government to construct the hospital on a PPP mode saying even Hospitals like Apollo is a shining example of PPP concept.