The Union Government has given the go-ahead for setting up another medical college in the Union Territory (UT) of J&K. This new centre for excellence in medical education will be set up at Kakrayal (near Katra) where Narayana Hospital is located. Initially, this medical college will have 50 MBBS students and gradually the number is to be doubled in the coming years.
Subsequently, seats for super-specialisation are also likely to be added as Narayana Hospital is primarily a tertiary care hospital. The infrastructure, including the buildings and equipment installed therein, were all put up in place using the money received from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB).
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital is a National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accredited hospital. It was inaugurated on April 19, 2016, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first tenure. During the past decade or so, the health infrastructure in the UT has undergone a significant upgradation by way of several new medical colleges being opened and becoming operational.
Some of the medical colleges had been conceived before Modi came to power in May 2014. However, the construction and operationalisation of various hospitals and medical colleges got a fillip after he assumed power. In the Kashmir valley, some new private hospitals have been opened during the past few years. However, in the Jammu region, no private hospital chain has invested its money and manpower.
An expert in the field of healthcare, who requested anonymity, explained that some of the hospitals which could have started their operations in Jammu might see fewer footfalls in their establishments in neighbouring Punjab. It needs to be mentioned here that a significant number of patients in private hospitals of Punjab are from the 10 districts of Jammu. As such, these hospitals have not started their full-fledged services in Jammu.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda for sanctioning 50 MBBS seats for newly established Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
In a post on X, Mr Sinha said: “Grateful to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Hon’ble Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J.P. Nadda Ji for sanctioning 50 MBBS seats for newly established Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
This decision not only fulfills the resolve of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to provide world-class Medical Education in J&K but also our objectives to improve healthcare access, increasing highly skilled medical professionals in underserved areas.
The Shrine Board, in its 71st Meeting held on August 19, 2023, had granted in-principle approval for establishment of a 50-seat Medical College at Kakryal, with a long-term plan for up-gradation to a 100-seat medical college subsequently.
Our aim is to help more MBBS aspirants to study in the UT and we have made significant strides in this area by increasing MBBS seats in the past few years. These achievements will ensure greater access to specialized care and build a stronger healthcare system”.
Over the past few months, the preparations for starting the medical college were made in right earnest, beginning with recruitment of the faculty. It was a long drawn process but the requisite number of would-be teachers for the new MBBS students have been already recruited. The grant of 50 MBBS students from this batch itself is the culmination of a long drawn process.
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