Super specialists leave TMC to join AIIMS

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Caters to 6 districts

— Tanda Medical College and Hospital caters to the medical exigencies of the people of six districts of lower areas of the state.

— Established in 1996, this institute has grown with time. However, its working is jeopardized every time a new medical college is opened in state and its faculty is shifted.

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, December 31

Although the state run Government Medical College, Tanda (TMC), situated in Kangra district is making efforts to strengthen its super specialty services there seems no immediate relief for patients because of the resignations by super specialists doctors to join All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bilaspur.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that in the past six months half a dozen doctors, most of them super specialists, have left Tanda Medical College, resulting in crippling of super specialty services amid Covid 19 crisis.

Those who have left Tanda Medical College in the recent past include Dr Lokesh Rana of Radiology Department, who had expertise in MRI, trus biopsy, MR arthrogram and alcohol ablation. These technologies are helpful in detecting prostate and bone cancers. Earlier such patients had to go to the PGI, Chandigarh, and AIMS New Delhi for the treatment. However, Dr Rana had created these facilities in the TMC. Dr Rana has written a number of books and articles which have been published in various health journals. Now Dr Rana has joined AIIMS Bilaspur creating a big vacuum in the TMC.

Other doctors who have left TMC and shifted to AIMS Bilaspur included Dr Rupali, a physiology and Priyander Singh Thakur, a super specialist from the department of endocrinology. Likewise, neuro physician Dr Ashish Sharma has also left the TMC and joined at AIIMS Bilaspur. In addition to this, Dr Navneet, a plastic surgeon, has also preferred to join at AIIMS Bilaspur. Dr Simiriti Gupta, a pediatrician and super specialist, has said goodbye to the TMC. Dr Vikrant Kanwar, Administrative Officer, has also joined AIIMS.

Tanda Medical College and Hospital caters to the medical exigencies of the people of six districts of lower areas of the state. Established in 1996, this institute has grown with time. However, its working is jeopardized every time a new medical college is opened in state and its faculty is shifted. Now with the opening of AIIMS at Bilaspur the institute had suffered another major setback when most of super specialists left Tanda and moved to AIMS Bilaspur.

As a result, over 30 faculty positions are vacant in the TMC which is hampering teaching, research and other activities. At present over 500 MBBS and 80 post graduates are pursuing their studies at the TMC.

Efforts to contact Secretary Health, Government of Himachal Pradesh Amitabh Awasthi for his comments were in vain. A text message sent on his mobile phone went unanswered.

Caption: Tanda Medical College- Ravinder Sood