Shillong: The Meghalaya government has dropped its plan to operate the upcoming Tura Medical College and Hospital under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, opting instead to run it as a fully government-managed institution.
Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla announced the decision on Tuesday, saying the move followed widespread public opposition to the PPP model.
“The government has decided not to go ahead with the PPP mode since people are not confident about it. We will run the Tura Medical College as a government institute, and recruitment of faculty will begin soon. The government decided to abandon the idea to ensure that the medical college is run in the best interests of the people,” Shylla said, adding that construction of the project is nearing completion.
The proposal to run the college through a PPP model had sparked strong resistance in Garo Hills, where concerns were raised about possible reduction in MBBS seats, higher fees, diminished government control over appointments, and the risk of profit-driven management.
On the progress of the Shillong Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), the minister said that classes for the first MBBS batch have already begun. While the institute currently has adequate faculty for smooth functioning, the government plans to recruit more teaching staff soon.
Acknowledging the challenges of setting up new medical institutions, Shylla said most faculty members are from Meghalaya, though some have been recruited from outside the state.
He added that the state government had initially wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate SMCH, but due to his busy schedule, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda would be invited instead.
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Responding to queries about a proposed medical college in Jowai, Shylla said the government would examine the feasibility but cautioned that meeting the necessary criteria would be challenging. “We have to be practical about it,” he said.
