Centre approves First-ever GMCH for Raigad, Maharashtra, 100 MBBS seats to be added

This will be the first ever government medical college and hospital in the Raigad district, in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The Central Government issued an approval letter for this endeavour on Thursday, 16^th September 2021, which was received by Raigad Guardian Minister, Aaditi Sunil Tatkare.

The State government has responded to this endeavour with much fervour and sanctioned a generous amount of Rs. 406.96 crore and it is proposed that the medical college will be affiliated with a 500-bed hospital over the next four years at a cost of Rs. 61.68 crore.

Even as the Centre's approval was awaited, schools and buildings at RCF Colony were taken over on a three-year contract for starting a college. It has space for lecture rooms, students and officials. A team of National Medical Commission visited the site a month ago.

Speaking to the Hindu, Ms. Tatkare informed that the first batch will consist of 100 students and is expected to start by December 2021. Furthermore, she has appealed to aspiring medical candidates from Raigad and Konkan to seek admission. A total of 52 acres of land at Usar has been allotted to the Director, Medical Education and Research, Mumbai for the new medical college and a 500-bed hospital.

Currently, Maharashtra has around 9000 MBBS seats in 57 medical colleges across the state including 26 government and 31 in the private sector.

The hospital will be a boon for the local population as it will provide them access to better healthcare facilities, especially as the country stands at the threshold of the much dreaded third wave.