Can’t help it if Meghalaya is not ready for a medical college: Ampareen

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 22, 2023

Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday said that the State is in a stage of preparation for institutionalising medical institutions.

Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said “One thing that the State of Meghalaya must understand very clearly is that if you are not ready for a medical college, you should not declare a medical college because 85 to 93 seats that we get regularly for our students as sponsored seats from all the States in supervision of the Union government will stop coming. Therefore, we will only have a medical college if we are ready for it.”

She said right now, the status of the Tura medical college is facing some challenges because of the infrastructure building.

“Budgets are overshooting. There has been some confusion, some conflict between implementation of these infrastructures, contract and the department that has to actually execute these infrastructures building in Garo Hills and so there is a bit of a delay. We are now engaging actively with the chief minister to see what is the alternative to ensure that we have 136 odd crore that is required for completing the Tura medical college.”

In the Khasi Hills region, the minister said that the government is looking at another model where facilities within Shillong city and its neighbouring areas can be utilized as medical colleges.“We are looking at Civil hospital, we are looking at the Umsawli facility there, we are looking at Ganesh Das, Reid Chest Hospital – where we already have sufficient infrastructure. Allow us to study this matter properly. Do not be in a hurry. Can’t help if our State is not ready. Look at what is happening in the States of Nagaland and others that have recently declared their medical colleges, immediately their citizens will not be able to avail those sponsored seats from the Government of India. Immediately for a period of five years you will not have medical students going from government quotas any longer from States where they have recently started this,” Lyngdoh said.