GUWAHATI: To upgrade medical education and cater to the need for sufficient doctors in Assam, the Government has announced another 14 medical college and hospitals in the State.
While inaugurating the Lakhimpur Medical College and Hospital (LMCH) on February 15, Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the completion of the ongoing construction of six medical colleges. The Dhubri Medical College and Hospital will be completed by 2023, the ones at Nalbari, Kokrajhar and Tinsukia are to be completed by 2024, and the medical college and hospitals at Charaideo and Biswanath to be completed by 2025.
Additionally, the foundation of 6 medical colleges will be laid this year at Dhemaji, Morigaon, Golaghat, Bongaigaon, Baksa and Tamulpur, two more at Sivasagar and Karimganj in 2023, and Goalpara in 2024.
CM Sarma announced that a cancer hospital is being constructed in every existing medical college hospital, which will be inaugurated by April this year.
"Assam has 24,000 villages. We need at least 2 doctors in every village, which adds to 28,000 doctors. But presently, only 1000 doctors pass out from the medical colleges of the State. If we are to continue at this rate, it will take 48 years to ensure one doctor for one village," Sarma said.
"But if we can have 24 medical colleges in Assam, we can accomplish that goal in 15-20 years," he further added.