Did Priyanka Gandhi Just Welcome the New Medical College in Wayanad?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- New medical college approved in Wayanad, enhancing local healthcare.
- 50 MBBS seats allocated by the National Medical Commission.
- Significant infrastructure investments made, including a Rs 45 crore multipurpose block.
- Focus on improving healthcare access for tribal and rural populations.
- Admissions to begin in the next academic year.
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, Sep 3 (NationPress) Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her enthusiasm on Wednesday regarding the long-anticipated approval for a government medical college in Wayanad, referring to it as a significant achievement for the area. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted permission for new medical colleges in both Wayanad and Kasaragod.
In her statement, Priyanka Gandhi emphasized that this project signifies the realization of a dream for millions in Wayanad.
She acknowledged the relentless efforts of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and local leaders who advocated for this demand, while also expressing gratitude to the authorities for their favorable response.
“I am excited to learn that the dream of establishing a medical college in Wayanad is finally coming true. The heartfelt appeals of countless residents, along with the persistent efforts of Rahul Gandhi, and our collective push to accelerate this process have yielded positive results,” Priyanka stated.
She urged the state government to implement all essential measures to operationalize the college promptly, highlighting that it would greatly enhance healthcare accessibility for the district’s tribal and rural communities.
Health Minister Veena George confirmed on Tuesday that the NMC has allocated 50 MBBS seats each for the new government medical colleges in Wayanad and Kasaragod.
She indicated that the state has established the necessary infrastructure and educational resources to comply with NMC standards and assured that admissions would commence in the upcoming academic year.
The Wayanad Medical College will feature a multipurpose block valued at Rs 45 crore and a nursing college with a capacity of 60 seats.
To support the inaugural MBBS cohort, 140 positions have been created and filled, including 115 teaching and 25 non-teaching staff.
Additionally, a modern mortuary complex costing Rs 2.30 crore, a cath lab worth Rs 8.23 crore for angioplasty procedures, a cardiology department, and a pediatric ICU have been established.
Remarkably, Kerala’s first sickle cell unit has been launched here, recently conducting the district’s inaugural hip replacement surgery for a sickle cell patient. E-health and e-office systems have been implemented, along with the completion of an oxygen generator plant valued at Rs 20.61 lakh.
Both the Wayanad and Kasaragod colleges, according to George, will undergo phased expansions, mirroring those of older government medical colleges.