Longer wait for Mohali hospital to become college
CHANDIGARH: The wait for upgradation of Mohali Civil Hospital to into a medical college has got longer by at least one more year, due to the state finance department’s failure to sanction the required posts of teaching and non-teaching staff.
The case for clearance of 168 posts of faculty and 826 posts of paramedics is lying pending with the Punjab finance department since last year.
The case for clearance of 168 posts of faculty and 826 posts of paramedics is lying pending with the Punjab finance department since last year.
The department has been dragging its feet over despite Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh’s intervention on request of health minister Brahm Mohindra.
The hospital was to become a medical college by 2015. Last year, the health minister had announced to start enrolling students in courses for the first year in 2019-20 session.
Anticipating that the medical college will start functioning from 2019-20 session, the health department, for creating more space, had decided to shift the office of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) to Medical Education Bhawan in Sector 69, Mohali. The unwarranted delay has put the health department in quandary as keeping space at building vacant for long will invite audit objections.
The hospital was to become a medical college by 2015. Last year, the health minister had announced to start enrolling students in courses for the first year in 2019-20 session.
Anticipating that the medical college will start functioning from 2019-20 session, the health department, for creating more space, had decided to shift the office of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) to Medical Education Bhawan in Sector 69, Mohali. The unwarranted delay has put the health department in quandary as keeping space at building vacant for long will invite audit objections.
A team from the Medical Council of India (MCI) was scheduled to conduct second inspection before February 28, which was called off. In the earlier inspection report, MCI had pointed out lack of staff and infrastructure required for running a college.
The funds required for upgradation of the hospital are to be shared by the central and state governments. The Centre has already released its share of funds in the tune of 100 crore. The state government has to chip in with Rs 75 crore. The state government in last three budgets allocated funds for the college. In the last budget, finance minister announced that Rs 50 crore has been released for initial work for the medical college.
Additional chief secretary health and family welfare Satish Chandra said that the upgradation of Mohali Civil Hospital was not possible without sanction of required staff. “Even after getting sanction, it will take atleast 3-4 months to recruit the staff,” said Chandra.
There are a total of 10 medical colleges in Punjab — three state-run and seven private — having as many as 1,295 MBBS seats. Of the total, 845 seats are in private colleges.
Next Story
READ ON APP