Himachal Pradesh: Chamba Medical College declined MCI approval

Shimla: The Medical Council of India’s(MCI) rejection of permission to Chamba Government Medical College, to run the first batch of 100 MBBS students has led the Union Health Minister, JP Nadda and State Health Minister, KS Thakur to pressure for a re inspect. The earlier Council inspection held on April 25,2017 observed a lack of 67% faculty and 64% shortage of resident doctors. Agaisnt the mandatory provision for 179 nurses the college is powered with a mere 65.

The College’s infrastructural shortcomings are a major reason for the council denying approval. Besides the institution being one short of operation theatre the lecture theatres, central library and Central Sterile Service Department were under construction when the officers came around to inspect. The college had no staff residency, while the anatomy dissection hall and histology lab were under construction.

The council team also observed that the physiology and biochemistry labs called for refurnishing still. Worse still patients coming to the hospital were being examined at private clinics run by practitioners employed by the college authorities. Besides these shortcomings it was also observed that doctors from Tanda Medical College had been transferred to Chamba to to impress the visiting inspecting Council team. Having inspected the deficiency the approval petition was kept pending for next year’s session, stated the MCI report.

However according to sources, the Union Health Minister had promised the college management that a fresh re inspection by the MCI would take place before July.

The Chamba Medical College, it is revealed had hired doctors from Jammu and Kashmir including private medical practitioners from the vicinity to run the college after the MCI rejected approval. Even lecture theatres were being run from rented premises.Dr Anil Ohri, Principal, speaking of the sprucing up efforts at the college said 95% of faculty posts had been filled in 22 departments of the institution.

“We have 330-bedded hospital of Chamba district hospital and labs are being set up. We hope to start the college this session but the state government has to take a final call,” he told The Tribune.