Chamba Medical College's new Rs 400 crore campus nears completion

Chamba: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba, is set to shift operations to its nearly completed permanent campus at Sarol, marking a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh's remote Chamba district.

The new campus, developed at an investment of around Rs 400 crore, is planned as a 500-bed teaching hospital and is expected to significantly improve patient care, medical education and emergency services.   

Established in 2017, the government medical college currently functions from the Zonal Hospital in Chamba and caters to patients from across the district, including remote tribal areas such as Pangi and Bharmour. The college administration said the institution currently handles nearly 1,200 outpatient visits every day, with most of its 325 beds remaining occupied.   

Speaking to The Tribune, the college principal said some facilities at the new Sarol campus have already become operational. The Critical Care Block has been taken over, and a Trauma Care Centre is already functioning there. The OPD, inpatient wards and emergency services are expected to shift to the new campus soon.

The first phase of the project was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 330.85 crore and includes a 200-bed hospital, OPD block, casualty, radiology services, hostels and residential quarters. In addition, around Rs 12 crore has been spent on a dedicated water supply project, while medical equipment worth about Rs 12 crore and furniture worth nearly Rs 7 crore are expected to be installed shortly, taking the overall investment to around Rs 400 crore. 

The college has also expanded several specialised healthcare services over the years, including a Day Care Cancer Unit, ART Centre, Pain Clinic and OST Centre. Recently, the institution received approval to establish a Cardiology Department, which is expected to improve access to specialised cardiac care for patients in the region. 

According to the principal, the institution also plans to introduce additional super-speciality departments such as Neurology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Neurosurgery, Endocrinology and Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) in a phased manner. The college is also exploring the introduction of robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgeries in the future.

The administration said strengthening emergency and trauma care remains a priority due to Chamba's difficult terrain and the high number of road accident cases. Once the new campus becomes fully operational, the medical college aims to reduce referrals to tertiary care centres in Tanda and Shimla by providing more advanced treatment closer to patients' homes. 

According to The Tribune, the college administration expects the new campus to improve access to advanced healthcare in Chamba by expanding specialised services and reducing the need for patients to travel to tertiary care centres outside the district.