Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that hostel for girl students of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda would be completed soon. He said the delay in construction of the hostel would be looked into seriously and if required, this work would be handed over to Public Works Department.The Chief Minister was presiding over the 19th foundation day celebrations of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital.Shri Virbhadra Singh said it was a matter of great pleasure that Dr. Rajendra Prasad Govt. Medical College and Hospital was imparting quality health education and health care services to the people of district Kangra and adjoining districts.
The Chief Minister said this medical college started functioning with with an intake capacity of 50 in the year 1998 and since then it had achieved many milestones. The intake capacity of the MBBS students had now been increased to 100 and PG courses in 15 specialties had also been started."With starting of Rs 150 crore Super Specialty Block at Tanda, the dreams of the people of districts Kangra, Chamba, Mandi, Hamirpur and Una getting best medical care at affordable place has also come true during the regime of this Government", he said.The Super Specialty Services in Oncology (Radiotherapy), Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nephrology, Cardiology and Urology were being made available to the public. He directed for proper maintenance of the buildings and said that the necessary repairs should be undertaken periodically.He said considering the demands of the interns, the State Government has enhanced their stipend from Rs 8000 to Rs10,000 per month.
The future plan includes acquisition of land for the establishment of a Mother and Child Care Hospital, a Trauma Centre, District Early Intervention Centre, Multi Research Unit, Bone Bank, Amphitheatre, Sarai building, Sports complex including indoor facilities etc. The Department of Emergency Medicine at DRPGMC Tanda had been created recently for providing better health care facilities to the patients.Virbhadra Singh said that the State Health Commission comprising of international renowned medical experts had submitted its first report with their recommendations as to how the health infrastructure can be further strengthened and with this we have joined league of developed States who futuristically plan health care for its citizens. The Chief Minister congratulated the institute for being ranked as first amongst State Govt. Medical Colleges in North India, 18th in all India Govt. Medical Colleges and 28th in all India ranking by Outlook survey. The Institute was the 1st in Northern India to start WHO fellowship after PGI Chandigarh.He said it was a matter of pride that the Rotavirus vaccination would be started from Kangra district by next month to control cases of diarrhoea amongst the infants and young children.
The Chief Minister said that the State had better health indicators as compared to National average as had been revealed in the report of Health Commission, yet the need of the hour was to bring in more specialists and experts in remote and far-flung areas of the State so as to provide affordable health services to the people of the State. He said that the doctors should prescribe generic medicines as every medical stores were asked to keep and provide generic medicines to the patients except in the cases where need for specific medicine arises.He said under National Health Mission (NHM) and Janani Sishu Suraksha Karyakram welfare schemes, 5705 beneficiaries had been given financial benefit worth Rs. 1.5 crores during the current financial year so far. The future plan includes acquisition of additional land for the establishment of a Mother & Child Care Hospital within next five years and to make Himachal Pradesh the best Model Health Care State in the country. He stressed that the students should adopt new technology to achieve expertise in their fields so that we can achieve comprehensive clinical excellence care including long term follow up of treatable chronic diseases.
Transport and Technical Education Minister, Shri GS Bali, while addressing on the occasion said that the issues of Students Central Association would be looked into sympathetically. He urged for early completion of girls hostel building which was pending since last two years.Shri Bali also demanded an auditorium and a club for the students in the college campus.Principal, RPGMC, Dr. Anil Chauhan welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries on the occasion and read the annual report.Ujjayant Bhardwaj, Preaident SCA also welcomed the Chief Minister and placed forth their demands before him.
A colourful cultural presentation was also given by the students of the college.Forest Minister, Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Jagjeevan Pal, MLAs, Shri Ajay Mahajan, Shri Sanjay Rattan, Shri Yadvendar Goma, Shri Pawan Kajal, Shri Manohar Dhiman, Chairman, OBC, Shri Chander Kumar, Former MLA. Shri Surinder Kaku, Advocate General, Shri Shrawan Dogra, Chairman KCCB, Shri Jagdish Sapehiya, Vice-Chairman State Forest Corporation, Shri Kewal Singh Pathania, DC Kangra, Shri Ritesh Chauhan, SP Shri Abhishekh Dullar were also present on the occasion amongst others.