Assam aims for 30 medical colleges by 2030, CM envisions tech-led healthcare push

Guwahati, June 18: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, announced that the state aims to have 30 medical colleges by 2030, nearly doubling the current count of 13 functional medical colleges.

“Our journey began with three colleges, and now we have thirteen. By 2030, we will have twenty-nine medical colleges, and by 2047, every sub-division in Assam will house one. That’s how we plan to produce around 4,000 doctors annually, reshaping Assam’s public health infrastructure,” said Sarma, during the distribution of appointment letters to 400 medical and health officers at GMCH Auditorium, Bhangagarh.

Reiterating that it’s not just about expanding infrastructure, the Chief Minister laid out a vision of futuristic, technology-integrated public healthcare, where traditional systems like OPDs may soon become obsolete.

"In the next decade, OPDs will vanish. Patients will consult doctors through mobile apps, even from remote areas. Prescriptions will be generated digitally, and hospitals will maintain records of how many consultations a doctor carried out from home,” he explained.

He further added that telemedicine, AI, robotics, and predictive healthcare will become the pillars of the state’s healthcare delivery model.

“Surgeries will no longer require a doctor’s physical presence. A surgeon in the US could guide a robotic system in Guwahati to perform complex procedures. Genomic medicine will predict diseases like cancer well in advance. The future is not science fiction - it’s around the corner,” he said.

He further added that the "imminent" arrival of Starlink, which provides high-speed internet access to remote locations using low Earth orbit satellites, would enable these procedures even in the remotest areas of the state.

Highlighting Assam's dramatic improvements in maternal mortality rate (MMR), Sarma pointed out that MMR in the state dropped from 480 in 2006 to 167 in 2019-21, a feat he claimed is unmatched by any other Indian state.

“This reduction wasn’t sudden. It was the result of sustained efforts - one step at a time, from sub-centres and institutional deliveries to medical college expansions and rural doctor postings.”

Looking ahead, Sarma outlined a vision where every constituency will have a 100-bedded hospital. “With 126 such hospitals, well-equipped with manpower and infrastructure, we can finally address MMR and infant mortality comprehensively.”

Sarma recounted how the decision to set up new medical colleges like Jorhat Medical College faced fierce criticism, even from leading newspapers.

“People said we should improve existing institutions instead. But we stood firm. By 2013, Tezpur and Barpeta colleges followed. By 2016, we were producing 600 doctors annually. Now, we're set to scale that to over 4,000.”

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to medical education and employment, noting that Pragjyotish Medical College is in the pipeline and Bongaigaon Medical College will be functional by next year.

"We have 10 private medical college applications, but government colleges come first."

The Chief Minister concluded his address with a call to action for medical professionals, “Doctors today must embrace data analytics, AI, and telehealth. The geography of health issues demands customised responses. A successful doctor is no longer just a healer but a tech-savvy professional. If we align with this vision, Assam will lead the nation in public health innovation by 2047.”