To meet the demand of medical professionals in the State, Himachal Pradesh is aiming to admit 200 students in its Government Medical Colleges from coming academic session onwards. Chief Minister asserted it in the three day long XXIX Annual Conference, NC ASICON-2011, of the Northern Chapter of the Association of Surgeons organized by the Department of Surgery, Indira Gandhi Medical College, in the auditorium of the college.

Chief Minister said that the Medical Council of India had granted permission to admit 100 students in each of the two medical colleges by enhancing the MBBS seats from 65 to 100 in IGMC, Shimla and from 50 seats in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, to 100, thereby increasing annual intake from existing 115 students to 200 students. He said that it had been a big achievement for the government since the matter was being raised time and again with the Government of India to enhance the intake capacity of both the state owned medical colleges to meet the increasing demand of the State. He said that additionally ESI Medical College of the Government of India coming up at Ner Chowk in district Mandi and Maharishi Markandey University, Solan would also be admitting students for MBBS courses which would further strengthen the health network in the State. He said that the State Government had succeeded in getting the post graduate seats also enhanced from 39 to 111 in both the medical colleges which would help in making specialists in different disciplines available to man the health institutions.

Prof. Dhumal assures the all possible help to motivate medical equipments manufacturers to set up their manufacturing units in the state itself and make supplies of the same to the state health institutions at cost effective rates so that best of the health care facilities will be made available to the people. He said that since almost all the top multinational pharmaceutical companies had set up their manufacturing units in the State and producing quality life saving drugs to feed the markets. He said that it had been the endeavour of the State Government to strengthen the health sector and provide best of the health care facilities to the people at their door steps. He said that with the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical equipments locally within the State people of the State would be benefitted with cost effective specialized medical services and State would be retaining its First Position in Health Sector in the country for years to come.

In the Conference, Health Minister Dr. Rajiv Bindal stressed upon providing cost effective surgical services in the remote and rural areas to the people. He said that it is due to the hard work put in by the medical professionals that Himachal Pradesh is emerging as the role model in health sector in the country and the same was being strengthened further. He said that there was scope for further improvement in delivery of medical services to the people where professional dedication and commitment was required. He said that the State Government would be extending all possible help to the manufacturers of medical implements and equipments to set up their units in the State.