Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Wednesday that Post Graduate (PG) courses will soon commence at Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College (RKGMC) in Hamirpur. This move aims to enhance the quality of healthcare and medical education in the region. 

The Chief Minister further stated that the state government has approved the recruitment of six associate professors and ten assistant professors in key medical departments. These departments include General Medicine, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Anaesthesia, and Radiology. He emphasised that specialists form the backbone of healthcare services in medical colleges and hospitals, making the introduction of these courses vital for overall improvement.

Urgent need for PG courses in other specialities

With the rising number of patients at RKGMC, Hamirpur, CM Sukhu highlighted the urgent need to expand PG courses across various other specialties to improve patient care. He also announced that an essentiality-cum-feasibility certificate had already been issued for introducing PG courses in Ophthalmology, Dermatology, and Physiology.

In addition to the teaching faculty, the state government has sanctioned the recruitment of 150 nursing personnel at RKGMC. This decision is expected to enhance patient care while providing better working conditions for the nursing staff. “We are committed to ensuring optimal patient-to-nurse ratios, with a 1:1 ratio in ICUs, 1:2 in labor rooms, and 1:4 in antenatal general wards,” CM Sukhu said.

Strengthening medical colleges across Himachal Pradesh

The Chief Minister reiterated his government’s focus on strengthening medical institutions across the state. Over the past year, 1,182 new posts have been approved for Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. Similar efforts are underway to ensure sufficient staffing and improved infrastructure at Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College Nahan, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College Chamba, and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital in Ner Chowk, Mandi.

To further modernise the state’s healthcare sector, CM Sukhu mentioned that world-class medical equipment and machinery are being procured. This will ensure that residents receive high-quality healthcare services closer to home, reducing the need to seek treatment outside the state.

With inputs from ANI