Balangir Medical College to commence MBBS this year, subject to MCI Inspection

Balangir: Balangir Medical College and Hospital (MCH), will commence session from this year. However, the session commencement will happen only after the Medical Council has completed its round of inspection at the college.The Council team is expected to arrive between March and April for the inspection.

Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda at a review meeting of the colleges infrastructure and other facilities in the presence of Balangir Collector N Tirumala Nayak, said the admission to different courses of the new medical college will start from September. Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) and Dean of the new medical college were present at the meeting.

The district headquarters hospital (DHH) has been upgraded by the State Government to an MCH with an increase of bed capacity from 200 to 300; the MCI norm requirement for running a medical college.

50 assistant professors for the medical college have been appointed by the Government and a new post of medical superintendent created to look after the hospital affairs; replacing the ADMO post reports The New Indian Express.

In November 2017, a team of MCI also inspected facilities at the under-construction medical college building and reviewed preparedness of the DHH, to serve as the medical college for the first three years.

Establishment of five Government medical colleges and hospitals at Balasore, Koraput, Balangir, Baripada, and Puri had been granted government approval in 2014.

Meanwhile, Koraput and Baripada medical colleges have been functional since 2017. The other three have yet to be granted council approval. A government medical college has been a long-standing demand of the local population.