Shillong, Feb 5: Meghalaya is on an ambitious plan to eliminate shortage of doctors within the next six years with the Shillong and Tura medical colleges, together with the P A Sangma International Medical College opened by the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, expected to play a crucial role in boosting the doctor workforce in the state.
Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday told reporters in Shillong that the two medical colleges of the state will soon be operational saying, “Six years down the line, Meghalaya will no longer have a shortage of doctors. With this in mind, we are starting our medical colleges, and the USTM has also begun its program. We will be in an advantageous position because the bonds signed with them are conditioned by government supervision.”
The health minister pointed out that the colleges would go beyond the MBBS program as the state plans to simultaneously have the senior and junior residency, specialization and the MD programs, putting the state in an advantageous position in the health sector.
“The government will recruit more specialist doctors in the coming days and once everything is in order, recruitments will begin,” said Ampareen Lyngdoh, adding that the matter has already been taken up with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for obtaining the necessary financial approvals for contractual appointments.
The health minister had chaired a review meeting with officials of the health department on the recruitment drive during the day to iron out any differences or obstacles in the path of bringing in specialized doctors.
“The cabinet had come up with certain notifications, which probably need a review. For example, no appointments to certain slabs of employees without cabinet approval so we cannot give other than contractual appointments to certain categories of specialists. This could include not only doctors but we are looking at technicians, nurses and others because if you are going to hire somebody on a contract basis, we need to be careful about their privileges,” said Lyngdoh.
Giving a positive feedback on the move of the state government to dispatch doctors to other states for specialized training, Lyngdoh said, “Apart from specialised training in Chennai, We have even begun short term specialisation certified courses with other institutes. We have signed agreements with Apollo and other institutions for certain specialisation.”
She also clarified that government sponsored MBBS candidates are obligated to return home and serve the people of the state, as per the signed bond.
“Now the only thing is we need to zero down and find out whether or not an MBBS student who has gone on a state sponsored state also has to sign a bond with their corresponding colleges. So, if somebody is going to UP for MBBS on a sponsored candidate seat, they likely will also have their obligation there. So, we are now trying to figure this out but the moment our own medical colleges come and start rolling out its course and programmes, we will not be discussing these shortfalls in a very few years,” she reiterated while assuring that the government is determined to start the medical colleges at the earliest.
