Three more medical colleges to come up in Arunachal: CM

Itanagar (The Uttam Hindu): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday announced that three more medical colleges would be set up in the state, which currently has the lone medical college -- Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Science (TRIHMS). Addressing the induction function of the 100 MBBS students in TRIHMS, the Chief Minister said that three more medical colleges would be established in the state in coming years and processes have already been initiated for the purposes. “The second medical college, after TRIHMS, would come up at Pasighat, followed by another at Namsai under PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) mode. The fourth medical college would be established in the West Kameng-Tawang region. After the setting up of three more medical colleges we would have four medical colleges to take pride in,” he added.

Khandu said that from this academic year, the number of seats for the MBBS course in TRIHMS has been increased to 100 from the existing 50. Expressing his happiness to increase the number of seats this year, the Chief Minister said that more local youths would get the opportunity to pursue medicine. “What is more substantial is the fact that 85 of the 100 seats are reserved for tribal students which is a huge jump from about 30 MBBS seats during the start of the medical college,” he said. Khandu noted that the state government has fulfilled its promise to the people of Arunachal Pradesh to increase the capacity of TRIHMS medical college along with an increase in seats reserved for tribal student aspirants.

“The state government has already approved for starting of PG courses in 12 specialities and one super speciality (DM course in cardiology). We have also approved in principle the establishment of 500-bed super speciality blocks with central assistance,” the Chief Minister informed. He informed that recently a MoU has been signed between Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute and the State Cancer Society of Arunachal Pradesh to investigate the rising cancer rates in the state. Further, he said that a 200-bed Regional Cancer Center is being established in Midpu near Doimukh. To deal with kidney ailments, Khandu informed that the state government has approved for establishment of the Department of Renal Science and Kidney Transplantation in TRIHMS in collaboration with Sir Gangaram Hospital and expressed optimism that the first kidney transplantation will happen in TRIHMS as soon as the OT complex is ready.