State Health Secretary BK Tripathy on Sunday inspected the State-run MGM Medical College and Hospital at Sakchi. He also interacted with patients and assured to solve the drinking water problem plaguing patients and doctors alike within 10 days.
Meanwhile, addressing the medicos of MGM Medical College in Dimna, he mooted plan for one-time promotion as an immediate step to meet the criterions of Medical Council of India (MCI) and thus ensured that the medical cradle of 50 seats will be increased for its UG (read MBBS) courses.
Sources informed that an MCI team had given negative reports based on its inspection of the medical college in May this year and recommended its report to the MCI, to reduce the admission seats from existing 100 to 50 for the medical college primarily due to shortage of faculties.
“We are concerned over the situation and want to address every issue. Seats will be reduced if things are not addressed at the earliest. We will take steps in meeting their criterion and ensure that seats are not reduced,” said Tripathy after holding nearly an hour-long meeting with doctors and professors at the medical cradle.
“I have seen that there has been no promotion for several years resulting in large number of vacancies. More than 50 percent posts are vacant at the moment. In 2004 there was one-time promotion of faculties in different position based on their experience and qualifications and we intend to do a similar act within three months to save affiliation with MCI,” said Tripathy.
The principal of the medical college AN Mishra informed the health secretary about the problems to doctors, interns and faculties in shuttling between the hospital and medical college (a distance of 7 kilometres from Sakchi to Dimna) especially due to traffic snarls at the Mango bridge.
The MGM Medical College at present can take 50 students. The college had applied to MCI for increasing the seats to 100. During the last inspection, the MCI team pointed out several irregularities in the functioning of the hospital and the college. They directed the college authorities to take steps to plug the loopholes within a specified time frame.
It may be noted that the medical college had faced a de-affiliation threat in the 2004 inspection due to shortage of faculty members. But, over a period of time, the issue was addressed by the institution’s management and State health department. The hospital also set up an out-patients department, facility for CT scan and a blood bank.
“I will put forward the suggestion of the principal for a hospital at the medical college campus itself before the State Government. After the cabinet decision there will be tender process and a hospital at the medical college campus would attain reality by two-three years,” added Tripathy.