WB Govt to construct 5 new med colleges, 7 nursing colleges

To improve health services, the West Bengal government will construct five new medical colleges, seven new nursing colleges and even invite private doctors to work part-time in government hospitals.
After a review meeting of the health sector by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it was announced that five new medical colleges will come up in the state with a total investment of Rs 1,000 crore.
"To increase manpower we are adding five new medical colleges in the government sector in Coochbehar, Raiganj, Rampurhat, Diamond Harbour and Purulia," state's principal health secretary R S Shukla told reporters.
He said they would write to the central government and the Medical Council of India to relax norms in setting up of the new medical colleges in the areas of faculty and infrastructure.

"We want to facilitate the establishment without compromising the quality of learning and teaching," Shukla said.
In another new initiative, the state government would soon issue advertisements inviting private practising doctors to start working for a few hours every month in government facilities on payment basis.

Besides this, the government was also contemplating increase of retirement age of doctors from 65 years.
"All this is being done to increase manpower and availability of doctors in government hospitals," Shukla said adding, to counter the shortage of nurses they were starting seven new nursing colleges in the state.
Officials said the nursing colleges would come up by next year in Ghatal, Barasat, Jangipur, Jhargram, Ulberia, Basirhat and Sagardutta at a total cost of Rs 150 crore.

According to existing rules of the MCI, new medical colleges cannot have more than 100 seats, officials said adding, they would try to expand the number later on.
ABOUT HITLAB(R)
HITLAB(R) is a healthcare innovation lab that helps leading organizations with the ideation, creation, evaluation, and diffusion of technology-based solutions to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare worldwide.
Our scientific, multidisciplinary approach allows us to effectively investigate digital health research questions, providing stakeholders from all sectors of the global healthcare system with meaningful ideas and products, as well as an evidence base across numerous therapeutic and geographic areas.
HITLAB is committed to accelerating the diffusion of digital health impact through education across communities and continents. To learn about our latest activities, follow us on Facebook [http://www.Facebook.Com/hitlab.Org ] and Twitter [https://twitter.Com/HITLABnyc ], and visit http://www.Hitlab.Org.

About the HITLAB Innovators Summit: India and HITLAB World Cup: India
The HITLAB Innovators Summit: India brings together leaders in public health, medicine, technology, and design to discuss health issues and solutions. The Summit offers a series of carefully curated talks, panels, and collaboration opportunities to engage the most creative minds in health and technology. The 2017 event, powered by Visionary Sponsor Boston Scientific in compliance with its policies, focused on 'EMPATHY DRIVEN DIGITAL HEALTH INNOVATION: Improving Health Outcomes by Understanding the Needs of the End-User.'
The HITLAB Innovators Summit: India culminates in the HITLAB World Cup: India - sponsored this year by Healthquad, with mentorship support from Quadria Capital - a challenge of unparalleled diversity where innovators present original solutions to pressing global healthcare challenges: http://www.Hitlabsummit.Com/newdelhi-2017

Media contact:
Devmalya Sarkar
Media@hitlab.Org
+91-9205058722
Assistant Manager, HITLAB
Photo: http://mma.Prnewswire.Com/media/456367/ PRNE_HITLAB_logo_Logo.Jpg
Source: HITLAB.