Kerala To Have More Medical Seats

The Health Minister P. K. Sreemathy has announced in Thiruvananthapuram that the Medical Council of India will be shortly sanctioning 50 MBBS seats each for medical collages in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Thrissur.

Ms. Sreemathy stated on Thursday, while replying to questions in the Assembly that a proposal for increasing the strength was pending with the medical council. She further alleged that though the infrastructure in these collages was inadequate the previous government had done nothing for their betterment.

She went on to explain that the funds from the Rural Health Mission would be used to develop a model hospital in every Assembly segment in a regulated manner. Explaining that a total amount of Rs.20 lakh would be spent on each of these hospital, she said that they would be provided with X-ray, operation theatre and other basic amenities.

The health minister also stated that the government in the first phase would be setting up 42-community health centres as model hospitals. Stating that the necessary measures regarding the shortage of doctors had already been discussed and taken, the minister had said that the departmental promotion committees had met and promotion proposals had also been cleared.