Vid’s 6 districts among 11 in State to have new GMCs

Staff Reporter

Maharashtra’s Medical Education Department has proposed new Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in 11 districts in State. Among those 11 districts, six are in Vidarbha. They include Gadchiroli, Wardha, Washim, Buldana, Amravati and Bhandara. The department, in its proposal, has mentioned that, each new GMC will have intake of 100 with a hospital of 430 beds (as initial permission, it will set up 300-bedded hospital) as per the rule of National Medical Commission (NMC). The other districts in State include Palghar, Hingoli, Jalna, Ahmednagar and Ambarnath. As in cases of Gondia, Chandrapur, etc, Government had attached the district hospitals to cater to students.

The department conducted a detailed survey and found that, ample space is available in the premises of district hospitals in those respective districts where the new medical colleges are proposed. That space is to be utilised to develop GMCs . The proposal has explained all the details including the measurement of land available in the premises of the district hospitals. In Gadchiroli, there are District General Hospital and District Woman Hospital. They both have been built on 27.18 acre land while 5.37 acre land is available where GMC can be set up.

One nursing college is being run in the new building. The proposal pointed out that doing some minor changes in the nursing college building, the three departments Anatomy, Biochemistry and Pathology for MBBS first year could be developed. A dissection hall, Hystopathology laboratory and general laboratory can be accommodated.

As per the proposal, the land, which is in possession of other departments, needed to be transferred to Medical Education Department. For example, at several places, Medical Education Department identified the space available in the district hospitals those come under Public Health Department, or at some places, it has noticed the land with Revenue department lying vacant (In Bhandara, it has noticed the hilly land admeasuring 25-acres owned by Revenue Department). Medical Education Department has asked the departments concerned with whom the lands are in possession to hand over those to it (Medical Education Department). At most places, initially the classes for MBBS first in Pathology, Biochemistry and Pathology could be started.

As per earlier rule, those who want to establish medical college have to have hospital and college in one premises only. But National Medical Commission has relaxed the restrictions by which now the college and hospital can be set up on two lands situated at two different places. The proposal has estimated the cost for all new GMCs at Rs 2,384.25 crore (Rs 216.75 crore for one GMC considering the construction on the land admeasuring 52,384 square meter). It included administrative block (Rs 317.9 crore, per GMC Rs 28.9 crore), pre and para clinics (Rs 149.6 crore, per GMC Rs 13.6 crore), hospital building (Rs 1,050.72 crore, per GMC Rs 95.52 crore), officers, employees residences and students hostel (Rs 866.03 crore, per GMC Rs 78.73 crore).

The proposal has specifically worked on the posts required for these GMCs and their estimated cost. That cost comes to Rs 381.7 crore. Per GMC, it has asked Rs 34.7 crore. The department found that it would require Rs 1,320 crore for all 11 GMCs to purchase treatment equipment with Rs 120 crore for one GMC. The proposal has also mentioned the minor expenditure that include vehicles, cleanliness work, food, security, laundry, beautification, etc.