Health Ministry enumerates 58 Districts for converting Hospitals to Medical Colleges, details

New Delhi: Following up on the announcement of the Finance Minister of ensuring one medical college in every three parliamentary constituencies, the Ministry of Health has now identified 58 districts in 20 states/UTs which will be targeted for conversion of district hospitals to medical colleges. The announcement to this effect was made by MOS ( Health) Sh Ashwini Kumar Choubey in Rajya Sabha, yesterday

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is administering a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to establish new medical colleges attached with existing District/Referral Hospitals in underserved areas of the country. Under Phase – I of the Scheme, 58 districts in 20 States/UT have been selected. Out of these, 56 colleges have been approved and a sum of Rs.5188.42 crore has been released to the States/UT. 8 colleges under Phase – I are functional.

The Phase – II of the Scheme for the establishment of 24 new medical colleges has been approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in its meeting held on 7^th February, 2018. The objective of the Phase – II of the scheme is for ensuring the availability of one medical college in every 3 Parliamentary Constituencies and one Government medical college in each State.

Three districts in Bihar namely Purnia, Saran (Chhapara) and Samastipur were identified under Phase – I of the above scheme to establish new medical colleges. The medical colleges at Purina, Saran (Chhapara) have been approved. However, DPR for Samastipur was not approved as the existing District Hospital land area does not fulfil the minimum land area requirement prescribed under IMC Act, 1956 for the establishment of a new medical college.

 

However, In Chhattisgarh State, two Districts namely, Sarguja and Rajnandgaon have been approved for establishing new medical colleges by upgradation of existing district hospital which are already operational. Furthermore, Public health being a State subject, the responsibility to operationalize New hospitals and maternity centres too lies in the jurisdiction of the respective State Government, added the minister.