Shillong, October 6: The Meghalaya government has reviewed the operationalisation of Tura Medical College and acknowledged that faculty shortage continues to be a major hurdle in meeting National Medical Commission (NMC) requirements for starting the institution as a government medical college.
According to a Health and Family Welfare Department press release dated September 30, the review noted that despite sustained efforts for more than a year, only 37 teaching faculty members could be mapped so far against the 97 required by the NMC for an annual intake of 50 MBBS students.
The department said repeated internal exercises had been undertaken to identify willing and qualified in-service doctors, while three rounds of advertisements were issued and consultations were held with doctors in Tura to address the shortage of specialists in the region.
To ensure that infrastructure already created benefits the people of Garo Hills without further delay, the meeting recommended completing and commissioning the 150-bedded and 80-bedded blocks currently under construction within the Tura Civil Hospital campus. The move is also expected to strengthen the bed capacity of Tura Civil Hospital, which is proposed to function as the teaching hospital for the medical college.
The review meeting was attended by senior Health Department officials and members of the committee, including Joint Secretary Dr. Rezina Ch. Marak, DHS (MER) Dr. Lumrilyne Mylliemumlong, Dr. B. Lyngdoh of DHS (MI), Dr. Eva Shadap of DHS (DME), Tura Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. J.B. Sangma, Tura MCH Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. B. Momin, and District Tuberculosis Officer Dr. Nanitha R. Marak.
