In a span of just nine years, the number of MBBS seats
in the country has increased from 64,000 to 1.6 lakh while that of the
post-graduation seats has doubled, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
Mandaviya inaugurated the Nagaland Institute of
Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) in Kohima, the first medical college in
the Northeastern State.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said it was a historic day
for the people of Nagaland as a long-cherished dream of theirs was fulfilled.
Mandaviya highlighted that the NIMSR is not just a
medical college, but also a research institute.
“It will not only fulfil the purpose of imparting
medical education, but will address the health issues of the Naga people,” he
said.
Highlighting the Centre’s commitment towards improving
medical education in the country, Mandaviya said, “In a span of just nine
years, the (number of) MBBS seats in India has increased from 64,000 to 1.6
lakh. Similarly, PG seats have also doubled in the last nine years”.
In a word of encouragement for the students and other
stakeholders, the Union Health Minister said they should not limit their scope
of research within the national borders. “We must encash on opportunities
abroad as well,” he said.
Mandaviya informed that the Centre has started foreign
language courses in many medical education institutes, so that students can
have an edge in getting jobs abroad.
He said strengthening medical, nursing and pharmacy
education in the country is an endeavour of the BJP-led Centre for the holistic
development and expansion of the country’s health sector.
“The aim is to ensure that each citizen of India is
able to get access to affordable and accessible healthcare across the country,”
the minister said. He highlighted the expansion of the Jan Aushadhi Kendras all
over the country to improve access to quality and affordable medicines for all.
NIMSR Kohima is affiliated to Nagaland University. It
received the letter of permission for the admission of 100 MBBS students from
the academic year 2023-2024 from the National Medical Commission (NMC) in
April, paving the way to start the first medical college in Nagaland after 60
years of statehood, said the Health Ministry in a statement.
It said 85 MBBS students from Nagaland and six from
the all-India seats got admitted to the NIMSR and joined the MBBS classes after
their induction programme on September 1.
“This is a historic day for the people of Nagaland as
we inaugurated the first medical college in the State,” said Rio.
Highlighting that it was a long-cherished dream of the
people of Nagaland to have a medical college in their State, the Chief Minister
thanked the Central Government for steadfastly taking up the project.
Rio also said the NIMSR would help the state
strengthen its secondary and tertiary healthcare and hoped that it would become
a centre of excellence in the future.
PTI
