Insufficient doctors in medical colleges, says Health Minister Mahanta

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: There was insufficient number of doctors in many departments of medical colleges in Assam. But the government has taken up various policy measures to ensure that there are specialist doctors in all departments and that all kinds of laboratory tests can be conducted in the State.

This was informed by State Health Minister Keshab Mahanta in the House today in a written reply to questions put forward by MLA Aminul Islam (senior). MLA Islam had asked the State Health Minister to state what are the departments in which there are no specialist doctors in Assam; what are the departments in which there are no sufficient number of doctors; and what is the policy of the government to make Assam self-sufficient to have specialists in all the departments and ensuring all kinds of laboratory tests in the State?

In a written reply, minister Keshab Mahanta said that there were specialist doctors in all departments. But there was an insufficient number of doctors in departments like Biochemistry, Anatomy, Dermatology, Radiology, Anaesthesiology, FSM, Physiology, CTVS, cardiology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Geriatic Medicine, Urology, Nuclear Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Hematology, Gastroenterology, Surgical Gastroenterology, Neurosurgery, and Emergency Medicine in medical colleges of the State.

The minister assured that the government had taken various policy decisions to make Assam self-sufficient to have specialists in all the departments and ensuring all kinds of laboratory tests in the State. These include –holding Departmental Promotion Committee meetings regularly to promote the faculties in various departments to fill up the existing vacancies; increasing the retirement age of faculty members upto 70 years of age to retain their services in medical colleges; increasing the upper age limit in entry level posts in various departments in medical colleges to increase the number of applicants for those posts; introduction of Dynamic Assured Career progression Scheme (DACPS) for promotion of faculty members and to give incentives to doctors to join in the government service; and starting of PG courses in new medical colleges and increasing the number of PG seats in medical colleges where PG courses are already running.

He further informed that the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS) and State Cancer Institute have introduced fellowship programmes in various disciplines to strengthen the healthcare delivery system. DM courses had been started in the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in total 12 disciplines with an annual intake of 44. The government will also introduce superspeciality cources in Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) and Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) in a phased manner in cerain disciplines.

Mahanta said that the government is deputing/sponsoring in-service doctors of the State to pursue superspeciality courses outside the State, including AIIMS, New Delhi, and PGIMER, Chandigarh where the facilities are not available in Assam. All laboratory tests are now available in most of the medical colleges, said the minister. The government has installed many high-end equipment for laboratory services across the State. The government has made available all technical staff for the laboratory services. For certain high-end tests, the medical colleges have tied up with some private players to get the tests done at a reasonable price, he added.

The government is also taking steps for incerasing the number of paramedical courses and seats across the State, including the introduction of degress courses in paramedics in few medical colleges, said Mahanta.

Also Read: A step forward towards all-round development: CM Himanta on State Budget

Also Watch: