3 New Medical Colleges approved for JnK, Ladakh
Jammu & Kashmir- The Central government has approved three new medical colleges for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for expanding medical education in deprived areas.
In this regard, Jammu and Kashmir will get new medical colleges in Udhampur and Handwara (Kupwara district), while Ladakh will get its first medical college in Leh, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Jammu and Kashmir informed DailyExcelsior.
The ministry said DailyExcelsior that the initiative is part of the government's comprehensive plan to strengthen health education by establishing 157 new medical colleges across India, with a focus on aspiring districts and border areas. These new institutions are aimed at improving access to medical education and addressing the shortage of health professionals in remote areas.
Apart from the newly sanctioned colleges, Jammu and Kashmir already have five medical colleges in Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri, Doda and Kathua, which were set up under the earlier phases of the scheme. Along with this, the government has also sanctioned 196 PG seats and 60 MBBS seats for various medical institutions in the region to enhance medical education opportunities.
Meanwhile, the government said that the AIIMS projects at Awantipora in Kashmir and Vijaypur in Jammu are progressing rapidly. On this, the government has allocated Rs 2,326.23 crore for their construction. Both these AIIMS facilities are expected to become the primary tertiary healthcare centres for the region, reducing the need for patients to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for specialised medical treatment.
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