The much awaited Shillong medical college is expected to be functional by September 2026 even as Tura medical college is likely to be operational sometime in 2026.
This was informed by Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh to media persons here today after the meeting convened by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to review the progress of the medical colleges in Shillong and Tura.
“If everything goes right, Shillong medical college should be functional by September 2026,” Lyngdoh said.
She also said that the construction works for the two medical colleges are moving with very good progress.
“I am not able to really give a definitive timeframe because it is going to be difficult. We are still working on a lot of the infrastructure because it is very necessary,” she added.
Lyngdoh said that many technicalities have to be fast tracked for Shillong medical college so that it has its own faculty.
“We have to look at important issues such as the service rules and amendment of service rules of doctors so that we ensure that eligible doctors are on board. Our service rules permit doctors to function as teaching doctors,” she explained.
The health minister said that the State government is also looking at details of the model that are there with the government of India for the teaching or the non-teaching doctors, model for retirement and others.
She further added that the Health Department is still preparing for the inspection by the National Medical Council (NMC) for the proposed Shillong medical college.
According to Lyngdoh, certain hurdles with regards to the fast tracking of the infrastructure facilities have also been sorted out after the chief minister held a meeting with line departments related to road, water and electricity.
The health minister will soon be traveling to Uttar Pradesh to understand the model adopted there with the help of the Government of India.
“The Government of India has assisted Uttar Pradesh in the instituting of medical colleges. So I will first go there and I will come back and share my experiences once I’ve seen the models where the Government of India has actually initiated the building of six medical colleges around Uttar Pradesh. So let me go there. Let me see what that model is all about,” she added.
As far as affiliation is concerned, Lyngdoh said that the State government is looking at an option for affiliation with State owned Williamson Sangma University.
According to her, earlier the Health Department had engaged with NEHU but it was taking time. “Hence, the State government will look at the Williamson Sangma University,” she said.
The Shillong Medical College is referred to as a brownfield project because the Health Department is already utilising facilities available in Shillong Civil Hospital, Ganesh Das Maternity and Child Hospital, and Pasteur Institute.
On the other hand, Tura Medical College is a greenfield project. The college is expected to take a little bit more time because of the infrastructure building. The challenge is mostly related to distance from the existing Tura Civil Hospital, connectivity and others.
