Open House: Will the move to build 16 more medical colleges make Punjab a global medical education hub?

Funds Availability key to success of project

Although Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has given approval for 16 more new medical colleges in Punjab, the big question is: Will the Centre dispatch funds to a particular ratio for the construction of these colleges? The availability of funds is central to the massive infrastructure required for the 16 medical colleges. Punjab already has the maximum number of hospitals in the country, with the construction of new medical colleges, the state will certainly be on the global map of medical education. Most Doctors after completing their MBBS or MD go abroad for a better future. Therefore, the Punjab Government should first issue notification that the student who clears his MBBS/MD from any government college will have to serve the People of State for minimum of Seven Years before going abroad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already taken up the issue of medical colleges seriously and the Union Government has a number of medical colleges in the pipeline or are under construction in many states. India’s rapidly growing population needs a medical college in every district of the country for giving medical facilities to every person of the country.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Brain drain will stop to great extent

In a major boost to medical education in the state, the Punjab Government’s decision is laudable. As claimed by the government, Punjab will emerge as a hub for medical education in the world with this ambitious initiative. If this happens, the state’s major problem of brain drain will be solved. A large number of Punjabi youths aspire to go to foreign countries for medical education. This will save parents from incurring financial burden of huge bank loans and the accompanying mental tension. It will also attract students from other states and from abroad as well that will increase the state revenue. Moreover, these upcoming medical colleges will create ample job opportunities and provide proper medical care to the less privileged. But for making all this possible, the authorities will have to ensure affordable quality education. Unlike before, they have to build adequate infrastructure, including fully qualified and trained teaching faculty, nurses and other paramedical staff, and sufficient medicines. Besides this, the government should also keep a watch on the various unlawful practices the private medical colleges and hospitals indulge in with impunity.

DS Kang

Exodus of students abroad will stop

As per the government’s plan for making the state a medical education hub, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Institute of Medical Sciences, Kapurthala, and Shaheed Udham Singh Medical College, Hoshiarpur, will be state-of-the-art medical institutes, having multi-speciality hospitals. As of now, due to stiff competition and expensive medical education with fewer medical seats available in the state, a large number of aspirants from the region explore the opportunities in other states or in countries like Ukraine, Russia, etc. Effluent ones move to the US, the UK and Canada. With such trends, the exodus of ambitious students and money has both registered a substantial increase over the years. In the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, many medical colleges have been destroyed, accentuating the woes of students in these countries. The future of several medicos is bleak as there are no prospective plans to absorb them in local institutes to complete remaining part of their studies. Obviously, the medical education despite huge demand has not got the required fillip. As a result, our domestic health services continue to suffer with deficient manpower. We find most of our rural areas still devoid of required healthcare facilities. In the digital age, there is a dire need to provide world-class equipment and quality medical education to our students. Apart from improving environment at basic community healthcare centres, existing hospitals need to be upgraded and equipped with advanced facilities so that the quality of life of citizens is improved. More medical institutes have to be developed for which the present initiative of the government is a step forward in the right direction.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

People will get latest treatment in state only

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has rightly decided to construct new medical colleges. In the past many years, we have seen a large number of students going to different countries, primarily Ukraine, China and Australia, to study medicine, which not only deprives the county of talent, but also puts financial burden on parents. These students on their return have to again qualify the test of the Medical Council of India to become eligible to practise in India. Besides, other youngsters are heading to foreign shores for better opportunities. In light of the abovementioned facts, the Chief Minister’s decision is welcome. By making Punjab a hub of medical education, Punjabis can hope to get latest medical treatment in their own state, which will definitely be a commendable feat and a dream-come-true moment for all of us.

Dr JS Wadhwa

Step can open doors for medical tourism

The Punjab Government’s decision to open 16 more medical colleges will definitely help the state becoming a world-class medical education hub, provided the quality of both infrastructure and services are built and maintained as per the international standards. A majority of students from Punjab who wish to pursue a career in medical profession have to leave the state or the country and are vulnerable to compromise with the cost and quality of such education. There requirement of medical professionals and the demand for various health services in the state are always on the higher side. What is needed is adequate and affordable infrastructure in all disciplines of medical education and services. If already a city like Jalandhar can boast of having maximum hospitals numbering more than 800 in Asia, nothing is impossible for the state to achieve any target in medical infrastructure. Since maximum NRIs are from Punjab, the potential of medical tourism can be developed in a larger systematic way. Some hospitals in the state are already providing world-class medical facilities at competitive rates to patients from neighbouring countries.

Jagdish Chander

Will make education, healthcare affordable

The decision to introduce 16 more medical colleges in Punjab is a welcome step. As Punjab is a border state, high-tech companies feel reluctant to invest here. Hence, there is maximum scope of the service sector here. The medical tourism industry can contribute significantly to the state’s GDP. Not only this, the state should give more incentives to the pharmaceutical industry production plants and the opening of economically affordable hospitals. Further Punjab can open its border with Pakistan to receive global patients from even Afghanistan. Indian students who go abroad to study medical courses will get quality education in Punjab itself. Efforts should be made to have affordable education here so that Punjab can become a global hub of the medical industry.

Harvinder Singh Chugh

Keep fee low to benefit students

It is highly gratifying that the Punjab Government is aiming at transforming the medical education and healthcare services in the state. If the state has to become a global medical education hub, the government will have to display a strong political will and take adequate follow-up action. If students have access to affordable quality medical education in the country, a large number of them aspiring to pursue medical education will no longer have to go to sub-standard medical colleges abroad or risk their lives in countries like Ukraine. Though Punjab has produced many world-class doctors, previous governments have not focused much on medical education. Hence, most of the already established medical colleges are in a shambles and fail to meet people’s expectations. At present, parents and their wards undergo untold financial and psychological stress. The current government should make proper infrastructural arrangements and keep the fee structure low to provide proper medical education to students.

Tajpreet S Kang

Needs joint efforts from govt, public

The decision will certainly put Punjab on the global map of medical education with the combined endeavours of the public and the government. The government must ensure timely construction of these colleges with latest medical infrastructure, maven medical practitioners and professors, and easy accessibility of quality medical education and health facilities. Sufficient amount should be spent on making the medical services world-class and creating a conducive environment for students so that they no longer wish to rush abroad. With adequate committed staff and students, encouraging society and magnificent medical institutions, definitely, Punjab would become an eminent health education hub!

Anshika Kohli

QUESTION

The Punjab Government claims to have kept a strict check on the menace of corruption with the launch of a helpline and the arrest of several officials and leaders ever since it came to power. Do you agree with the government’s assertion of giving corruption-free governance?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (December 15)