Jharkhand: Govt plans to set up five new medical colleges, says CM Raghubar

Jamshedpur: Jharkhand government has plans to set up five medical colleges in the state soon, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said.

"We want to develop mineral-rich Jharkhand, which is lagging far behind in healthcare sector, as Medical Tourism destination and make it a Medical Hub," Das said while inaugurating a College of Nursing of Tata Main Hospital and a Sankara Nethralaya Mobile Eye Surgical unit here.

Informing that detailed project report of three Centre-sponsored Medical Colleges are ready and foundation stones are likely to be laid before October 2, he said, the government is committed to improve the healthcare sector as it aims to develop the state as a destination for medical tourism.

The proposed colleges will be set up in Palamau, Dumka and Hazaribagh districts. The state government also has plans to set up two more medical colleges in Bokaro and Chaibasa (West Singhbhum district), the Chief Minister said.

Nine nursing colleges will come up in different districts of the state in current fiscal, he said.

The 'Sankara Nethralaya Mobile Eye Surgical Unit' inaugurated here today, is the first such unit in the country after Chennai, where a mobile eye surgical unit is in operation since 2012.

The Chief Minister hailed the founder of Sankara Nethralaya Hospital and 'Padma Bhusan' recipient Dr S S Badrinath for launching the mobile eye surgical unit in the state.
Inviting Dr Badrinath, who was also present at the

function, for setting up an Eye Hospital in Ranchi on the lines of its Chennai hospital, Das assured to provide him land for the purpose. The Chief Minister also spoke to him in this regard separately after the function.

Recalling his recent visit to Hyderabad and Bangaluru to woo investors, Das said he had discussion with reputed cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty and Hyderabad-based pancreas specialist Dr Rao and assured them land to open similar hospitals in the state.

Dr Shetty, who has assured to visit the state in the first week of August to discuss the issue, has sought 10 acres of land to set up a hospital, the Chief Minister said, adding he has offered him to take over the Ranchi Sadar Hospital for the purpose.

Admitting that there is shortage of doctors and nursing staff in Jharkhand, Das said he had experienced the shortage of doctors and nursing staff in the state soon after he became the Chief Minister about one-and-half-years ago.