Union Health Minister Nadda lays foundation stone of country’s first PPP model medical college

Pointing out that Madhya Pradesh has provided leadership to the country in the field of health, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda expressed happiness on Tuesday that through innovative thinking and public participation, the first medical college in the country based on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model is being started in MP.

Nadda was speaking at the foundation stone laying event of the Medical College in Dhar district of MP. Later in the day, Nadda also laid the foundation stone of another medical college to be built in Betul district of MP.

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At the function in Dhar, Nadda noted that the foundation stone laying ceremony of the medical college on PPP mode in Dhar is a historic occasion for the country, and Madhya Pradesh has led the country in this matter.

The Dhar Medical College would be built on 25 acres of land at a cost of Rs 260 crore under an agreement with the ‘Swami Vivekanand Shiksha Dham Foundation’.

Nadda emphasised that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a major transformation has taken place in the country’s healthcare system. “Now, the country is emphasising preventive care over curative treatment, focusing on prevention and lifestyle changes before the onset of illness”, he pointed out. He informed that 181,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are operational across the country for holistic medicine.

The Union Minister said that in 2014, the country had 387 medical colleges and 51,000 MBBS seats, while today there are 819 medical colleges and 129,000 MBBS seats. He informed that PM Modi has set a target of increasing the number of seats by 75,000 before 2030.

Nadda informed that the foundation stone for medical colleges in Katni and Panna in Madhya Pradesh will also be laid next month. The Union Minister congratulated Sunita Kapoor and Shruti Kapoor of the ‘Vivekananda Knowledge Foundation’ for starting a medical college and hospital on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. He said that the Government of India and the state government stand with the Foundation in this innovative initiative.

He said that with the opening of the medical college in Dhar, doctors will reach every village. The postgraduate doctors graduating from here will also serve Madhya Pradesh. “We have come to serve, not to enjoy power”, he stated.

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that Madhya Pradesh is achieving a historic and unprecedented milestone in the healthcare sector, as foundation stone laying ceremonies for medical colleges are being held in two tribal-dominated districts of the state, namely Dhar and Betul.

The CM said that in the PPP model, society and the government will work together to strengthen healthcare services and ensure better treatment for every individual. He emphasised that service and development are the core principles of the MP BJP government, and the last two years have been unprecedented in terms of public welfare and development. “Madhya Pradesh is the only state in the country where metro train services have been launched in two major cities – Bhopal and Indore – within a year”, Dr Yadav stated.

Dr Yadav informed that in August this year, agreements were signed for the establishment of four new medical colleges in Betul, Katni, Dhar, and Panna under the PPP model, and today, the foundation stones for Dhar and Betul are being laid. He said that the foundation stones for medical colleges in Katni and Panna will also be laid soon. After these districts, preparations are underway to establish similar medical colleges in Bhind, Morena, Khargone, Ashoknagar, Guna, Balaghat, Tikamgarh, Sidhi, and Shajapur.

The MP CM said that until 2002-03, there were only five medical colleges in the state. Now, the number of medical colleges in the state has increased to 33. In the last two years, six government medical colleges have been started in the state.

These include medical colleges in the tribal areas of Singrauli and Sheopur. The state government has sanctioned 354 posts for Senior Resident doctors. Continuing the sickle cell anaemia campaign in the state, more than 1.25 crore people have been screened. In Dhar, more than 15 lakh people have been screened under the sickle cell program. Upgradation of 800 beds and sanctioning of 810 new posts for doctors are being provided in the hospitals of Tikamgarh, Neemuch, Singrauli, Sheopur, and Dindori districts of the state.

Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that the PM Shri Air Ambulance service has become a boon for remote areas of the state, and now needy people are receiving free treatment and air ambulance facilities through the Ayushman Card. He informed that the state government has launched the Rahveer Yojana to help those injured in road accidents, in which the state government is providing an incentive of Rs 25,000 to those who help transport the injured to the hospital on time. Additionally, to encourage organ donation in the state, a tradition of giving a Guard of Honour to organ donors and their families has been started.

Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that today, Dhar district has also received a gift of 93 development projects worth a total of Rs 626 crore.