Punjab Government Sets Up Panel to Revamp Medical and Dental Colleges

The government of Punjab has constituted a high-level planning and monitoring committee for revamping government medical and dental colleges across the state. Minister of Medical Education and Research (state), Mr. Brahm Mohindra will head the high-level panel while Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences will act as an ex-officio member of the committee. The committee will also include Advisor and former Chairman of MCI (Medical Council of India).

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The state government has set October 31, 2017, as the deadline for the committee to submit an interim report. An official associated with the state government disclosed various reasons for constituting the panel. He indicated that government medical and dental colleges across the state are in a dilapidated state because of which it is important to upgrade them for maintaining quality education. The committee will identify the shortcomings or gaps apart from suggesting and monitoring steps for improvement in the areas of teaching, research, hospital management, trauma care, intensive care, super speciality care, specialist care, patient care, human resources, equipment, and infrastructure, he added.

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With an objective to augment patient care, teaching and research, the panel will work out the feasibility of PPP or Public Private Partnership. The idea of the committee is to achieve holistic improvement which will be possible only by figuring out long term and short-term action plan. Upgrading infrastructure and facilities in government medical and dental colleges is the first step essential for improving quality of education. The state government will implement the action plan based on the suggestions made by the committee.