Long-felt need fulfilled, JMCH gets neurosurgery department

A Correspondent

JORHAT, July 4: “Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) has the best neurosurgery department among all the medical colleges in Upper Assam, which is very good news for the people of Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, Sivasagar and Charaideo as from now onwards, patients need not go to AMCH, Dibrugarh or GMCH or outside the State from critical treatment related to neurosurgery,” said State Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma during the inauguration of the neurosurgery department at JMCH on Wednesday.

Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said there was long-felt need for a neurosurgery department and finally it came up at the cost of Rs 11 crore and under the initiative of neurosurgeon Dr Amrit Saikia. At this stage, four super specialist doctors under the leadership of Dr Amrit Saikia will be rendering service of the people. The minister praised Dr Amrit Saikia, who hails from Majuli district, for his dedication and hard work in setting up this department.

The minister added that every 10 days, video conferencing takes place between the health department and the JMCH authority to discuss the development and upgradation of JMCH. Moreover, cath lab for treating heart diseases and a hospital for cancer patient are already under process and within a year the hospital will be set up while the process to start PG courses for clinical subjects is also under process and will start from this year. The old buildings will be demolished and new blocks will be set up, following which the college will very soon get a new look as more than Rs 57 crore has been sanctioned for JMCH. For the neurosurgery department Rs 11 crore had been sanctioned while Rs 25 crore has been sanctioned for various development projects. Another Rs 30 crore has been released, out of which Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned for purchasing equipment while the remaining Rs 20 crore will be used for hostels and other infrastructure development.