SHILLONG: The opposition Congress has threatened to agitate if the venue of the proposed Shillong Medical College is shifted from TB Hospital, Mawbah to Umsawli.
Moving a call attention motion during the special session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Opposition Chief Whip P.T. Sawkmie said there has been undue delay in setting up the Shillong Medical College.
Health Minister AL Hek, in his reply, said the agenda to shift the Shillong Medical College to Umsawli has not been decided yet as it is under negotiation with KPC group.
Stating that a state like Mizoram has a medical college, Sawkmie said the construction of Shillong Medical College may face the same fate as that of the construction of the new Legislative Assembly building which has not seen the light of day even after 17 years.
He demanded that the officers who said the Umsawli site is fit for construction should be suspended since the same officers had cleared the existing venue.
Sawkmie maintained that people often meet the minister with complaints of absence of doctors, lack of infrastructure, the need for PHCs and CHCs and other shortcomings.
He even pointed out that a patient diagnosed with Swine Flu had to be treated in Nazareth Hospital as Shillong civil hospital does not have proper treatment for Swine Flu.
Pointing to the break in MHIS since September, Sawkmie said “money will flow like a river” since Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are closely associated.
Hek said there is shortage of specialist doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and the government had to rope in the NGOs to run the PHCs and CHCs as there is shortage of doctors and paramedics in the state.
He further said the state has sanctioned Rs 20 crore to set up a state of the art diagnostic centre which will also be included in the MHIS and it will be beneficial for the poor.
