Shimla: In a major push to strengthen healthcare services and medical education in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced several key initiatives aimed at developing world-class health infrastructure in the state.
Chairing a high-level meeting of the Health and Medical Education Department, the Chief Minister said the state government is introducing a special incentive scheme for doctors under which medical professionals will receive a 20 percent incentive. The benefit will also be extended to professors, associate professors, and assistant professors serving in medical colleges.
To improve healthcare services for patients and address staff shortages in medical colleges, the government has approved two major recruitment decisions. A total of 110 posts of assistant professors will be filled in medical colleges, while recruitment will also be carried out for 120 posts of paramedical staff to streamline hospital functioning.
The Chief Minister further stated that all vacant posts of nurses and technical staff in medical colleges across the state will be filled within this year.
In a significant step towards strengthening medical education, the government has also decided to increase postgraduate seats in major medical colleges of the state. The expansion includes 96 seats in IGMC Shimla, 67 seats in Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College Hamirpur, 57 seats in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Tanda, 33 seats in Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College Chamba, 32 seats in Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College Nahan, and 29 seats in Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College Mandi.
Chief Minister Sukhu said that increasing PG seats would accelerate the functioning of medical colleges and help provide better treatment to patients suffering from serious illnesses at the district level itself.
He also said that the state government is working towards creating world-class infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh’s healthcare institutions. Under a project costing Rs 3,000 crore, modern machines and advanced diagnostic equipment are being procured for all medical colleges and hospitals.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed officials to explore possibilities for constructing a new and modern maternal and child hospital at IGMC Shimla and identify suitable land for the project at the earliest.
The Chief Minister said that improving the healthcare sector remains the top priority of the state government and assured that there would be no shortage of funds for these reforms. He added that with these unprecedented improvements, Himachal Pradesh is expected to emerge as a major centre for health tourism in the coming years.
