Shillong: The Centre has decided to increase the number of MBBS seats in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong from 50 to 100, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said on Thursday.
Pawar, who was on a two-day visit to Meghalaya, said the Centre would also provide all necessary support to the state for setting up its own medical colleges.
“We are going to increase 50 more seats from next year so it will then be 100 seats in NEIGRIHMS,” Pawar told a news agency.
She said the Centre has been focusing on strengthening the tertiary care, including primary and secondary, as part of the Prime Minister’s vision to strengthen the healthcare system through central government schemes.
Pawar said the Centre has increased the budget for NEIGRIHMS from Rs 480 crore last year to Rs 528 crore this year.
She also reviewed the implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Meghalaya and said the Central government has sanctioned approximately Rs 600 crore budget this year on a 90:10 pattern of funding.
For strengthening the sub-centres and health and wellness centres, she said that the Central government is allocating Rs 150 crore for Meghalaya under the 15th Finance budget.
Pawar said the Centre has also sanctioned Rs 64,000 crore under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission for the entire country, and Rs 150 crore for Meghalaya for the next four years.
She said over 5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) IDs have been issued to patients in Meghalaya, and nearly one lakh teleconsultations have been done.
Pawar lauded the state government’s efforts in reducing the maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate.
“I thank the CM for taking the health initiatives. The PM is also focusing and supporting the NE states so will take the review,” she said.