Assam to Expand Medical Colleges, Nursing Institutes to Address Doctor Shortage: Health Minister

Written By :  Anshika Mishra
Published On 2026-07-29 11:59 GMT   |   Update On 2026-07-29 11:59 GMT
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Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal on Monday told the Assembly that doctors cannot be “produced in factories” and that expanding medical education is the only sustainable solution to the state's doctor shortage. Responding to concerns raised during a discussion on Assam’s healthcare system, Singhal said over 4,000 doctors are currently serving in government hospitals and highlighted that the state now has 1,825 MBBS seats and 788 postgraduate medical seats. He added that the government is increasing the number of medical colleges and nursing institutes to strengthen the healthcare workforce, stressing that doctors can only be trained through medical colleges, not recruited overnight from outside the state, reports TOI.

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Highlighting improvements in public healthcare, Singhal said over 4.63 crore patients visited government hospitals for outpatient treatment in 2025–26, compared to 4.32 crore the previous year. He added that inpatient admissions rose by nearly 70,000, while surgeries increased from 71,635 to 98,666, reflecting growing public confidence in government hospitals. Assam currently has 14 functional medical colleges, 10 under construction, and three more announced in the state Budget, with the government's long-term vision of establishing a medical college in every district. He also emphasised that healthcare reforms should focus equally on preventive healthcare, and not just hospital-based treatment.

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