A DIPR Report
The MoHFW approved the establishment of the Medical College with an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats at District Hospital Kohima (NHAK) at the cost of Rs. 189.00 crores under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for “establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading district/ referral hospitals” in 2014. As per the Guideline of the Scheme, one of the eligibility criteria was District Hospitals/referral hospital with bed strength of 200 or more. Further, private hospitals are not eligible under the Scheme.
The college will initially function from two plots, Administrative, Academic, Hostels, and staff quarters at Phriebagie, and the Teaching Hospital will be at Naga Hospital Kohima, which is permissible under the Regulations of National Medical Commission (NMC). However, in view of space constraints and instability of land at the Naga Hospital Kohima campus, it is difficult to develop the hospital to 500 bedded Teaching Hospital which must be in place by 3rd Inspection as per the Regulations of NMC. Therefore, a dedicated 500 bedded Teaching Hospital will be established at Phriebagie, and the construction of a 150 bedded hospital at Phriebagie through State Resources is nearing completion while the department has approached JICA for setting up a 400 bedded Teaching Hospital.
Though the GOI has approved the establishment of Medical College at Kohima in 2014, acquisition of land was completed only in Feb 2018. The Master plan was approved in Oct 2018 and construction works was commenced from 2019. Execution of works was severely affected during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite the initial delay, all works are in full swing construction works are expected to complete within this year. So far, the Central Government has released its share of Rs. 170.10 crores. Out of which, Rs. 77.73 crores have been utilized till date. The balance amount is available with the Government. The project was never grounded nor exhaustion of funds as published in some local dailies.
Considering the absence of iconic National Institutions in the State and limited financial and human resources, it is felt that the Medical College will be best run as a Central Institute, whereby the college may be even brought under the control of Nagaland University as practiced elsewhere. However, the Central Government has conveyed its inability.
The State Government has also created sixty nos of various categories of posts required for obtaining Letter of Permission (LOP) from NMC. Advertisement for the post Director already published nationally on 11th May 2022 and advertisement for the remaining posts will be issued shortly.
In connection with setting up of the Medical College at Mon, out of the total approved cost of Rs. 325.00 crores, the Central Government has released Rs. 232.23 crores as of date. The State Government has acquired 90 acres of land at Mon village which is about 3 km away from the existing District Hospital Mon. The soil survey, contour survey works, preliminary works at the site including construction of road etc have been initiated, the bid documents and technical details for the remaining works have also been taken up. As per the timeline finalised with the experts and the department, works are expected to start by the 3rd Quarter of this year.