Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

AMCH upgradation process begins

By Staff correspondent

DIBRUGARH, Nov 4 � The upgradation process of the premier Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) into a super-speciality institution begun today with Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (India) Limited, a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare rushing an expert to conduct a study of the sites for the proposed infrastructure.

Executive Architect Ravinder Singh, the expert from HSCC (India) Limited inspected the sites as also surveyed the necessary construction plans today. It is gathered that the foundation for the construction of the super-speciality units would be laid within two months after the Detailed Project Report (DPR) from Ravinder Singh and the entire constructions would be complete within 24 months thereafter. It may be recalled that AMCH was selected for upgradation to super-speciality under Prime Minister Swasthya Suraksha Yojana Phase-3 during the UPA government at the Centre.

The entire upgradation of the departments like Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosuergery, Paediatric Surgery and Urology into super-speciality units will be undertaken with an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore where the Central government will provide Rs 120 crore and State government will have to contribute Rs 30 crore for the purpose, AMCH Principal, Dr A K Adhikari told The Assam Tribune here.

It is learnt that all kinds of construction activities from calling tender to alloting works would be handled by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, while the job of purchasing required equipment will be done by an authorised team of experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Chandigarh. If this process is truly followed, it is believed that there would be hardly any chances for the local administration to get involved into corrupt practices.

Given that the AMCH is one of the oldest medical institutes in the country, its upgradation was felt by the people of the region. But the bigger question today is whether the State government can provide the necessary specialists to run the upcoming super-specialist units. It is surprising that there are hardly any specialists in the proposed departments in the State despite making tall claims in the health sector. The super-specialty units will be meaningless if the State government fails to produce at least a pool of super-specialists and medical experts for the required departments in time.

Next Story