Diamond Harbour Govt Medical College set to kick off academic year
Kolkata: Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital constructed by the Mamata Banerjee government in South 24-Parganas, is all set to start medical education for the current academic session.
The newly constructed medical college already obtained 100 seats after the Medical Council of India (MCI) had issued clearance after assessing its infrastructure.
The total number of undergraduate medical seats in the state for the current academic year has seen a substantial increase by 650.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had taken up a major step to set up new medical colleges across the state, thereby increasing the number of undergraduate medical seats. The MCI has also given clearance to 650 medical seats in the state this year.
It has been learnt that as many as 87 doctor professors have been appointed at the medical college. It has also fulfilled the other parameters which are prerequisites for opening a new medical college, as set by the highest medical regulating body.
State Health department officials believe that a substantial increase in the number of medical seats in the state will eventually address the crisis of doctors in the state.
After becoming the Chief Minister, Banerjee laid enormous stress on the increase in the number of doctors in the state, thereby bridging the gaps in health infrastructure.
On a number of occasions, she has expressed her views on how the number of doctors can be increased to provide better health services to the patients.
Apart from Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital, four other state-run medical colleges have received the MCI's nod to get undergraduate seats for the current academic year. According to an official of the state Health department, a total of 400 undergraduate medical seats will be created in the four newly constructed medical colleges at Purulia, Rampurhat, Raiganj and Cooch Behar.
In 2016, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the project to set up five new medical colleges in the state.
It may be mentioned here that two private medical colleges — ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Haldia and Shri Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences and Sanaka Hospitals, Durgapur, have received 100 and 150 MBBS seats respectively, for the current academic year.
