Private players being encouraged to set up of medical colleges in Rajasthan

Jaipur: The Government’s suggestion to start a medical college in Dholpur in the state budget on Monday, seems to have been overshadowed by the upcoming assembly elections as the seven proposed medical colleges announced four years ago, are yet to become reality.

The Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje indicating government stance on the establishment of medical colleges during budget hour announced that private players would be encouraged to invest in setting up of medical colleges in areas where the government does not propose to set up any, reports TOI.

Mrs. Raje said the state government will encourage private investments in maternal and child health (MCH) units. In her budget address, Raje spoke of private players being invited on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode to start 100-bedded 22 MCH units and 50-bedded 15 MCH units. She said that all MCH units will have a centralized oxygen supply costing cost Rs 18 crore.

A new building will be constructed in Dholpur, along with staff quarters at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

Mrs. Raje further revealed that 28 new primary health centers (PHC) would be set up and 16 existing ones upgraded into community health centers (CHC) with a budget allocation of Rs. 120 crore.

She also spoke of Kidney related treatment being upgraded keeping in mind the growing kidney ailments among people of the state.

In an attempt to give a fillip to cardiac-care facilities, she announced the proposal of cath labs (catheterization laboratory) being set up in the three hospitals attached to government-run medical colleges in Bikaner, Jaipur, and Ajmer.

Cath labs are helpful in diagnosing heart-related ailments, as they visualize arteries in the heart. Raje announced setting up of four dialysis machines at Udaipur medical college and ventilators in its ICU all at a cost of Rs. 1 crore for swine flu patients.