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Bhopal: Minister for medical education Vishwas Sarang visited the Government Medical College, Shahdol, to take stock of the attached hospital on Friday. It is a 500-bed hospital. He asked the doctors to put up a blueprint of various departments within a week so that the hospital could run in a full-fledged manner. Right now, only the OPD is running in the hospital.

It was his first visit to Shahdol Medical College after the deaths of infants in the Shahdol district hospital. The state government wants to run the full gamut of hospital services at the earliest possible opportunity. Even though it is a Covid hospital, only the OPD is operational right now. The main issue that confronts the authorities is the appointment of doctors and paramedical staff.

Government to provide equipment

“Only the OPD is running in the hospital attached to Shahdol Medical College. I’ve asked the doctors to prepare a blueprint of the departments to commence services in a phase manner in the hospital. The appointment of doctors and paramedical staff will be completed by February. We’ll open the medicine department and then pathology as early as possible. If there’s need for any equipment, the government will make all arrangements for it,” said Vishwas Sarang.

No fund crunch

“It’s good that the medical college’s hospital should open at the earliest. Currently, we’re supporting this hospital. Our district hospital is under the health department, so all the expenses are met by the health department. It’s pandemic time, so, we didn’t face any problems or funds crunch to meet expenses. But, once it opens with full-fledged services, it’ll be under the control of the directorate of medical education, so, there will be a separate budget, not controlled by the health department,” said Dr Rajesh Pandey, former Shahdol CMHO.

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