Agartala, Jun 25, 2024, TRIPURA TIMES Desk

Agartala, June 25: Minister for Tourism Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday said a process is underway to give approval for temporary use of IGM building for establishing the proposed Shantiniketan Medical College.

He said, the state government is following the guidelines prescribed by the Medical Council of India in this process.

In his reaction to a letter written by Opposition Leader Jitendra Chaudhury to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, Chowdhury said, the state government is actively working towards enhancing healthcare services.

He said, efforts are being made to establish new medical colleges and improve healthcare infrastructure, encouraging private health-educational institutions to invest in the state. He mentioned, some private entities have been given opportunities in the past to contribute to the state's healthcare sector.

Speaking to the media at the secretariat, Chowdhury explained the issue and said the state government aims to enable local students to pursue medical education within the state, thereby increasing the number of doctors and improving healthcare services.

He revealed that the "Swadhin Trust" has applied to the state government to use IGM Hospital temporarily for admissions to Shantiniketan Medical College. The trust is constructing the college building on land purchased near Agartala with their own funds. The trust has not been given any free land or buildings by the government. The trust planned to build a 600-bed hospital on their land, as required by the National Medical Council for establishing a medical college.

Chowdhury also said, the state government is committed to expanding the IGM hospital’s bed capacity and improving associated infrastructure to ensure public health safety. The "Swadhin Trust" has assured that they will use IGM Hospital only temporarily until their own hospital is ready.

In the press conference, Chowdhury highlighted the need for a new medical college in the state. He said, currently 1,189 doctors are serving in various healthcare facilities under the state government.

According to WHO guidelines, the doctor-population ratio should be 1:1000, but with the population of around 40 lakhs, the current ratio in Tripura is 1:3448. The state has 225 medical seats (125 at Agartala Government Medical College and 100 at Tripura Medical College), which is insufficient to meet the current demand for doctors.

To address the shortage, the government is also recruiting specialists and super-specialists. Additionally, the central government encourages the use of public hospitals as teaching hospitals for private medical colleges, as outlined in the Establishment of Medical College Regulations, 1999. Following these guidelines, the central health ministry has approved 27 new medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh using government hospitals. Chowdhury also cited similar examples in other states.

He reiterated that the state government is taking necessary steps in compliance with all norms. The "Swadhin Trust" will secure the required approvals from the National Medical Council and deposit the security money with the government. They will reserve seats for students from below the poverty line at the same rate as Agartala Government Medical College. Additionally, 50 percent of the seats will be reserved for the state’s students. A MoU between the "Swadhin Trust" and the Tripura government will be signed soon, he added.

Addressing concerns about the potential impact on IGM Hospital’s services, the minister clarified that classes will be held at Shantiniketan Medical College, with occasional practical classes at IGM Hospital. Any damages to IGM Hospital’s resources will be compensated by the trust. The government is cautious to avoid a repeat of the 2006 incident with G-Net Group, which failed to meet its commitments after being allowed to use the state’s district hospital as a teaching hospital.