Medical college coming up in Namsai, says Arunachal CM; 1,000 health posts in pipeline

Itanagar, July 12: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, while inaugurating the newly constructed Maternal and Child Health (MCH) wing of the Namsai District Hospital on Saturday, announced that 1,000 new posts have been created in the state’s health department and are currently at various stages of recruitment.

He added that a gap analysis is also underway to identify and fill other critical vacancies in the sector.

Khandu further shared that a new medical college is set to come up in Namsai under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein is in talks with reputed institutions to ensure the establishment of a high-quality medical facility in the region.

"The government wants a first-class medical college to be established at Namsai so that the aspirations of the youths of the eastern districts of the state could be fulfilled," Khandu said.

The chief minister's visit marked the formal opening of the MCH wing, which was sanctioned under the National Health Mission during 2022–23 at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore.

Constructed over 28,356 sq ft by the Namsai Rural Works Division, the facility was completed in June this year. The main district hospital was earlier built at a cost of Rs 24 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) scheme.

During his tour of the hospital, Khandu distributed fruit baskets to patients and appreciated the efforts of the medical staff.

"In the last three years, we have overcome the shortage of manpower in the state's health sector but challenges still persist. The department is aware of the situation and doing its best to overcome the challenges," he said, calling on health workers to continue supporting the department's efforts.

Khandu acknowledged that districts like Namsai—with a population of over one lakh—still face gaps in manpower including specialist doctors, GDMOs, nurses, and support staff. He added that rationalisation of postings is being carried out, especially in remote areas, to ensure equitable distribution of personnel.

"Arunachal is a vast state that shares international borders with Tibet, Myanmar and Bhutan. PHCs and CHCs in remote areas also face shortages, but the government is addressing these through transfers and targeted recruitment," he said.

He reiterated that the government has been supporting both the health and education sectors in a focused way, adding: "Health protects the people and education leads them toward development. These two remain our top priorities."

The chief minister also commended the Namsai District Hospital staff for their dedication, noting that the hospital has become a critical hub for healthcare services across multiple districts.

PTI