Centre gives in-principle approval for 100 MBBS seats at Govt medical college in Karunakaran

Thiruvananthapuram: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has granted in-principle approval to commence admissions for 100 MBBS seats at the K Karunakaran Memorial Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram from the next academic year.

The approval was conveyed by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda during a meeting in New Delhi with a Kerala delegation led by State Health Minister K. Muraleedharan.

According to the state minister, Nadda termed it "criminal negligence" that the institution had not started MBBS admissions despite having infrastructure and other facilities in place for nearly a decade, adding that around 1,100 students could have already benefited had the course commenced earlier.

"Union Health Ministry has given in-principle approval for starting admission to 100 MBBS seats from the next academic year at the K. Karunakaran Memorial Government Medical College, the second medical college in the state capital," Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has said, quotes UNI

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda conveyed the decision during a meeting in New Delhi with a delegation led by Muraleedharan.

Nadda termed it “criminal negligence” that MBBS education had not been started at the medical college despite infrastructure and other facilities having been established at a cost of several crores of rupees nearly 10 years ago.

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He said around 1,100 students could have already benefited from MBBS education at the institution had admissions commenced earlier, Muraleedharan said.

The union Health Minister also assured that Kerala would be considered for an AIIMS, he added.

Nadda asked the state government to submit a proposal for establishing the country's first Genetic Institute in Kerala. He also assured central assistance for establishing trauma care centres in all districts, with district hospitals serving as their focal points.

The union Minister also gave an in-principle nod to Kerala's demand for increasing the insurance coverage limit under the central government's health insurance scheme. He assured support for upgrading the three mental health centres in the state and extending central assistance for HPV vaccination for girls.

The state delegation informed Nadda that the funds allocated to Kerala under the National Health Mission (NHM) were inadequate. The union Minister assured that the funding limit could be increased as resources became available.

The delegation also brought to his attention the need for medicines for non-communicable diseases, certain cancer medicines and some essential drugs that are currently unavailable in the country. Nadda assured that necessary steps would be taken to make such medicines available.

Central assistance to the State Virology Institute would also be increased, Muraleedharan said.

Nadda praised Kerala's healthcare sector and appreciated the state's efforts to strengthen the health system. Muraleedharan said the meeting with the union Health Minister was cordial and that Nadda had adopted a positive approach towards Kerala's demands, adds UNI

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