Meghalaya Government on Wednesday decided to shift the proposed medical college and hospital project to Umsawli.
The decision came as a breather as it will facilitate in protecting the heritage Reid Provincial Chest (TB) Hospital in Mawbah.
Interacting with media in Shillong on Wednesday, State Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek said the college and hospital ‘will be built on PPP mode and KPC Medical College in Kolkata has, in principle, decided to shift the site to Umsawli’, reports The Shillong Times.
Hek was quoted as saying that the TB hospital was constructed at Umsawli on 17 acres of land but the idea of changing it into a medical college needs a bit more land as per the requirements of the Medical Council of India.
He further said that the proposed medical college and hospital would be beneficial for the people.
The tuberculosis hospital in Mawbah was built in 1943 and was initially called Reid Provincial Sanatorium. The previous government’s decision to shift the hospital to Umsawli had invited criticisms by concerned citizens and several civil society groups.
Hek further said that the government and KPC will soon sign an understanding agreement after which construction will begin at Umsawli.
Notably, former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had laid the foundation stone last year for the state’s first medical college five years after a MoU was signed.