Dr Venkat Gite becomes second dean of MPGIMER, Nashik

Nashik: The Maharashtra government has appointed Dr Venkat Gite as the second dean of the Maharashtra Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (MPGIMER) at Nashik. He is the Professor and Head of the Department of Urology, Government Medical College and super speciality Hospital at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and now he will take the additional charge of the Dean. 

This came after an order was issued on July 18 by Maharashtra Education and Drugs Department (MEDD) to the effect. Dean Maj Gen Dr Satish Jha (retd) holds the post of Dean and was appointed in February last year. This move has surprised many considering that the state is facing a 40-50 per cent workforce crisis across several government-run medical colleges.

MPGIMER was established only one and a half years ago. On April 5, 2021, the state government gave its approval for the construction of a new medical college in Nashik, India, with a capacity for 100 students and a 430-bed hospital connected. The setting up of a postgraduate institute of medical education and research was also approved. As per the government order on July 18, the post of the Dean was vacant and there were difficulties in the functioning of the institute. Hence till further instructions, Dr Venkat Gite was asked to take additional charge as Dean of MPGIMER.

Ashwini Joshi, Secretary of state medical education, informed The Indian Express that Dr Gite will be taking additional charge as a government representative. “We have also proposed a medical college and want to ensure smoother coordination,” Joshi said.

When contacted, Dr Gite also explained that he had been instructed to accept the additional charge. More than 400 colleges are governed by MUHS, a teaching and affiliating university that was founded 25 years ago. According to official data from MUHS Nashik, some of the 29 government and privately-run medical institutions under MUHS have been dealing with the problem of a 40–50% faculty shortage. There is reportedly a lack of faculty in government colleges all over Maharashtra. According to some insider sources, it is surprising that the new PG institute suddenly has two deans given the circumstances of extreme workforce shortage. 

A few days ago Medical Dialogues team reported that the Maharashtra Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (MPGIMER) had taken a decision to turn the hospital into a centre of excellence in trauma care along with revamping the OPD and the casualty management system.