By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 21: Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday told the Assembly the state government is targeting to start the first academic session of the Shillong Medical College by 2025-26 while the work of Tura Medical College is expected to be completed by June 2024.
Replying to a query from leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh, Ampareen said the government is diligently working towards the establishment of the Shillong Medical College.
She said the government is aiming at commencing the operations of the medical college by the 2025-26 academic year by upskilling the available specialists within the state as faculty members and leveraging the existing infrastructure at Ganesh Das MCH Hospital and Shillong Civil Hospital.
The Minister disclosed that 57% of the work of Tura Medical College has been completed. She said the department is trying to identify a suitable organisation that is willing to run this medical college on a public-private partnership mode.
The minister’s ambitious reply, however, raised doubts among some members of the Opposition parties about whether the Shillong Medical College could indeed become operational within the timeline she set.
Trinamool Congress MLA Charles Pyngrope asked if the present infrastructure will be able to cater to its requirements.
“If you visit Ganesh Das Hospital, it is always packed with patients. Some even occupy the corridors to sleep and wait for their turn to deliver babies. I am glad that the college is coming up but I am afraid the infrastructure may put a hurdle to this timeline,” Pyngrope said.
The Minister replied that the issues will be looked into.
On the Tura Medical College, she said the project is expected to be completed by June 2024.
“We have other components like approach roads, power and other things. We should target this timeline,” Ampareen said.
According to her, the academic block of the college is 65% complete, the administrative block is 88% complete and the principal’s residence is 91% complete.
The leader of Opposition sought details from the Minister on the government’s expenditure on sponsoring students to study medicine outside the state. He said he was concerned that parents are forced to take loans to send their children to pursue MBBS as the state does not have a medical college.
The Minister assured the House that the government is committed to setting up three medical colleges in the state.
When UDP MLA Lahkmen Rymbui asked how the government will deal with the shortage of faculty members, a problem being faced also by NEIGRIHMS, the Minister said the government is ready to take up the challenges.
She said land is not an issue. She said as per the guidelines of National Medical Commission, 20 acres of land is required to establish a medical college and the government has 70 acres of land at the new site for the Shillong Medical College.