One medical college for each district: Union health minister

NEW DELHI: Inspired by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, the government has started work on the principle of 'one district one medical college' to convert all districts in the country into 'Ayushman' districts, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday.

Mandaviya was speaking at the inauguration of a Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) sub-zonal office and Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

He also laid the foundation stone for various facilities in AIIMS, Bhopal and inaugurated a slew of other facilities in Madhya Pradesh which includes 190 pharmaceutical industries, 55 WHO-GMP complied manufacturing units and 163 blood centres, among others.

Prior to this, Mandaviya also addressed the 75th Foundation Day ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore. At the inauguration of the CDSCO sub-zonal office, Mandaviya said that "monitoring the quality of medicines through the sub-zonal office will ensure access to high quality medicines to the citizens and provide ease of doing business for the stakeholders of pharmaceutical industries of Madhya Pradesh through the regulatory functions of CDSCO".

He further said that CDTL and sub-zonal office at CDSCO Bhawan, Indore will be entrusted with various responsibilities of regulation of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices.

Also read NEET PG 2024 postponed to July 7

AIIMS in all districts

The Union health minister also inaugurated six new health facilities at AIIMS, Bhopal, which included a drone station, Dexa scan suit, gym complex, and trauma and emergency operation theatre complex.

He highlighted that "it is the dream of Prime Minister that AIIMS should be opened in all states of the country on the lines of AIIMS New Delhi. In the last 10 years, 17 AIIMS have been opened bringing the total number of AIIMS to 23 in the country".

Addressing the diamond jubilee celebration of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore, Mandaviya said, "The name of the institute is associated with respected Mahatma Gandhi. Inspired by the principles given by respected Bapu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted a new education policy to the country. The government has started work on the principle of One District One Medical College to convert all districts in the country into Ayushman districts."

With the opening of a medical college, a huge system is created to monitor public health in that district, he said. "When we claim that we will eradicate TB by 2025 and today, kala-azar and leprosy are also on the verge of extinction, it is meant that it is the responsibility of these medical colleges to free the respective districts in which they are situated from all these diseases," he further stated.

During the occasion, Mandaviya also inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College alumni network and released postal stamp and diamond jubilee souvenir of the institute.