Efforts on to raise MBBS seats in MGM: Health minister Banna Gupta

RANCHI: Aiming to bring back the ailing state-run MGM Medical College and Hospital in Jamshedpur back on track, health minister Banna Gupta on Sunday said a high-level committee would soon be formed to revive the hospital.
Talking to TOI, Gupta, who is a Congress MLA from Jamshedpur West, said, "The committee, which will find ways to revive the hospital, will be formed within a fortnight. It will comprise the district surgeon, the MGM medical college principal, the hospital's superintendent, doctors, both currently working and retired, and prominent citizens of the Steel City.
The minister further said due to lack of teaching staff, the number of MBBS seats in the medical college was cut to 50 by MCI last year. "Efforts will be taken to ensure that the number of seats is raised to 100 again," Gupta said. The MCI had then given a month's time to MGM to appoint the vacant faculty members, but the government could not meet the deadline.
Expressing concern over the lack of facilities at the hospital, Gupta said, "Infrastructure at the hospital over the years have deteriorated and nothing has been done to put things in order so that patients from poor families do not have to suffer." Notably, MGM caters to people living in four districts of the Chhotanagpur area.
Gupta also said cleanliness and hygiene will one of his prime concerns while reviving the hospital. Pointing out that nearly 1,000 patients visit the hospital's outdoor departments every day, Gupta said there are only 40 sanitation workers at MGM. He said, "The number of such workers will be enhanced very soon."
He further said the hospital is being currently run by mostly casual staff and there is a serious need to increase the number of permanent staff. Admitting that there is severe dearth of doctors and nurses in the hospital, Gupta said, "Efforts will be made to fill up the shortage of doctors by taking the service of retired doctors so that the workload from the current doctors is reduced."
He added, "I have instructed officials of the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee and the Mango Notified Area Committee to take up steps so that roads are made garbage-free and drains are cleaned regularly in the non-Tata Steel administered area."
Gupta also stressed on the need to weed out corruption and said people are free to contact him directly, if any government official asks for bribe or any favour for clearing files. He said, "I promise to take action against such corrupt officials. The work culture in government offices across the state needs to improve."