Govt working to transform Assam into hub of medical education: CM Sarma

Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 26 : Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the 3rd convocation of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences held at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on Monday.
As many as 815 students were presented degrees of commendation at the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said the establishment of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences has given a new momentum to health education.
He said, "Our ambitious plan to establish a cutting-edge health education ecosystem will ensure accessible healthcare and abundant job opportunities to create a New Health Economy. At the third convocation of the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences we witnessed this transformative vision unfold."
He added that in the last two decades, health education in the state has undergone a transformative change.
Reminiscing his days when he was the state's Education minister, the CM said, "There were only three medical colleges with one dental college and one nursing college. These five institutions were rendering health education to the youth of the state. However, in the following years, the academic landscape of the state witnessed a vast change. With the improvement of infrastructure of medical education apart from intake capacities into the medical colleges, new opportunities for jobs were created. This positive change took new momentum in the year 2015."
Sarma said the number of medical colleges in Assam has risen to 12, adding that during Covid pandemic, when the people of the state felt a desperate need for more ICU beds, the state government took a decision to set up medical colleges in every district.
He said, "Taking responsibility for the people of the state, the government took a decision to increase the number of medical colleges to 25. In order to transform Assam into a hub of medical education in South East Asian nations, our government increased the number of MBBS seats from 350 to 1500. Moreover, for post-graduation as well, the number of seats has risen to 722."
He added that the government has taken several steps with regard to the introduction of new courses, urging the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences to play a crucial role in this regard.
On digitisation and its role in delivering cutting-edge healthcare, the chief minister exhorted the university authority to take steps for digital application.
Chief Minister Sarma also felicitated veteran doctors Dr. Dulal Chandra Borkataky and Dr. Alaka Goswami on behalf of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences.