Arunachal CM Prema Khandu hands appointment letters to 72 specialist doctors
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday handed over appointment letters to 72 specialist doctors selected through the Medical Specialist Recruitment (MSR) Examination-2026, describing their induction as a significant step towards strengthening specialised healthcare services across the state.
Addressing the newly appointed doctors, Khandu said the recruitment would help improve the specialist medical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas of the state.
According to a UNI report, he said the government had substantially bridged the manpower gap in the health sector through recruitment of specialist doctors, General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs), nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacists and other healthcare personnel in recent years.
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He also said 35 specialist posts at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), 61 specialist posts in government hospitals and 79 GDMO posts were still vacant and would be filled shortly.
Khandu urged the specialists to consider their postings as an opportunity to serve people who have limited access to advanced medical care. “Our aim should be that all kinds of treatment should be available to our people within the State,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Arunachal Pradesh currently has six zonal hospitals, 17 district hospitals, 57 community health centres, 162 primary health centres and 647 sub-health centres, highlighting the need to strengthen healthcare delivery across the geographically challenging State.
He said the government aimed to ensure that a patient in a remote village enjoyed the same right to quality healthcare as a resident of Itanagar or any other urban centre.
Highlighting developments in medical education, Khandu said TRIHMS, which began functioning in 2017 with 50 MBBS seats, now has an annual intake of 100 students. Three batches have already graduated, he said.
He also announced that MD and MS courses would be introduced at TRIHMS shortly, strengthening postgraduate medical education and helping create a larger pool of specialist doctors within the State.
In a significant development, the Chief Minister said the State Government was working with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, to establish organ transplant facilities at TRIHMS. Installation of an Organ Perfusion System is already underway, with kidney transplantation expected to be taken up initially.
Khandu also highlighted the Chief Minister's Organ Transplant Scheme (CMOTS), under which financial assistance of up to Rs 12 lakh is provided for kidney transplants, Rs 17 lakh for bone marrow transplants and Rs 22 lakh for liver transplants.
He said the government was also working towards establishing two more medical colleges — one is proposed at Namsai under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with construction scheduled to begin this year, while discussions are underway for establishing another medical college in West Kameng district.
The Chief Minister congratulated the 72 successful candidates and appreciated the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission for conducting the recruitment process in a transparent, merit-based and time-bound manner.
The MSR recruitment process began with an advertisement issued on April 13. Of the 117 applications received, 116 candidates qualified for the viva voce held from June 22 to 29, following which 72 candidates were recommended for appointment.
Calling healthcare a key pillar of Viksit Arunachal 2047, the Chief Minister urged the newly appointed doctors to uphold professionalism, empathy and accountability.
“A good doctor treats a disease. A great doctor also understands the person who is suffering,” Khandu said, urging the specialists to treat every patient with dignity irrespective of social or economic background.
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