Patna: Health department planning to raise MBBS seats in Bhagalpur hospital

Bhagalpur: The Health Department's attempt to raise the number of seats for admission in the first year MBBS course from 100 to 250 at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College (JLNMC), has led to it endeavoring to make it a centre of excellence for education and health services in the state.

The increase in the number of seats at the college would automatically improve the doctor patient ratio, a plan being worked upon by the Health Department. Another effort in line to increase the number of seats is establishment of a 1500 bed modern hospital at Barari, with requisite infra structure, committed paramedical staff and 24/7 medical services.

Sources say that the health department is visualizing ways in which health services and medical education can be improved, in the state. It held a meeting with the JLNMC administration to discuss measures to increase the number of seats, in first year MBBS.

The city based medical college and hospital is to be developed as a model centre, for both education and health services.

Sources said the project plan incorporated developing neurology, nephrology and cardiology departments into state of the art units, besides others like medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT and orthopaedics.

They said modernization of these units would decrease the footfall at, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Patna Medical College Hospital and various other Patna based government health facilities.

"We require a well-equipped 2,000 bed hospital and 250 seats in first year MBBS course. We have already selected the vacant land of JLNMC at Barari and a proposal for 1,500 bed modern hospital with super-specialty units has already been sent to the state headquarter." said Dr RC Mandal, JLNMC Superintendent told TOI.

Presently, the hospital can house 600 patients and 100 medical students.