Calcutta Medical College likely to be renamed

Kolkata: The state government will write to the Centre, urging it to change the name of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).

While attending a programme at CMCH on Sunday, Director of Medical Education in the state, Debasish Bhattacharya, said that they would soon talk to his departmental secretary, so that a proposal can be sent to the Union Health ministry, urging them to change the name of CMCH.

According to Bhattacharya, they would propose to change the name to Medical College of Bengal. It may be mentioned that during the British rule, the medical college had been named as Medical College, Bengal. One of the oldest medical colleges in Asia must be named after its earlier name, believes the health official.

He also clarified that due to the changes in the names of CMCH, there was confusion in the international arena. Even the hospital is registered as Government Medical College with the Medical Council of India (MCI), which also creates problems. Hence, the Health department is eager to give a new name to the hospital, which will be registered with the MCI as well.

If the hospital has the same name, it will clear the confusion. Bhattacharya said that the state government will soon send a proposal to the Centre, so that CMCH can be named after its previous name, which was given during the British rule, though there will be some changes from its earlier name.

Instead of Medical College, Bengal, which was the name of the hospital during the colonial period, the name will be Medical College of Bengal, as proposed by the state.

The state may also urge the Centre to change the name of Central Metro station in accordance with the new name of the medical college.