HP: Indira Gandhi Medical College under MCI scanner

Himachal Pradesh: Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) is under the MCI scanner over issue of regularizing PG course additional seats in 5 departments of the medical college hospital. 2-3 seats were added to the PG courses in general surgery, radiology, medicine, chest and TB, obstetric and gynaecology departments recently. The state government took the decision to have more specialist doctors.

IGMC officials implied that the decision was taken to add to the number of specialists in zonal and civil hospitals in the state. This was done to provide better patient care services in the peripheries

Another official of IGMC implied that MCI inspection team had gone through the records of the departments of general surgery. This included checking of information related to patient care, beds, surgical equipment, labs and operation theatre. All this is mandatory for providing PG courses. MCI is also expected to start the inspection of facilities at radiology, medicine, chest and TB, obstetric and gynaecology soon.

Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital principal Dr Ashok Sharma, who assumed the charge yesterday, said to the media that the MCI inspection was a routine affair. "All PG courses are being run as per available resources and any shortcomings pointed out by the Medical Council of India will be put in place in the college," he added.

Dr Sharma in addition implied that the PG courses in the medical colleges continue to function smoothly. MCI should hopefully grant recognition to all PG seats now. The departments under the MCI scanner at present meet the mandatory requirement of the council. The team is also expected to have an interaction with medical college representatives to share their opinion on the matter.

The Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) would soon have its second campus, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said recently to the press. Presiding over the golden jubilee year's annual prize distribution function of IGMC here, the Chief Minister said that meeting the basic health requirements of people, especially the ageing population in future has to be taken care of and setting up more medical colleges and expanding the present medical colleges was the current need.