Amit Shah launches major health projects in Guwahati
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several healthcare projects worth ₹2,092 crore in Guwahati, aimed at strengthening medical infrastructure in the state.
The Home Minister inaugurated the Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital, built at a cost of ₹675 crore. He also virtually inaugurated cancer care centers at Golaghat and Tinsukia, each constructed at a cost of ₹135 crore.
During the event, Shah also laid the foundation stones for several modern healthcare facilities across the state, including super-specialty hospitals at Diphu, Jorhat, and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital, the Swasthya Bhawan at Six Mile in Guwahati, and the District Hospital at Abhayapuri.
Addressing the gathering, Shah praised the efforts of the government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma in strengthening healthcare services in the state. He said that Assam has been successful in introducing advanced healthcare facilities comparable to states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Union Home Minister also recalled the contribution of the late Ratan Tata for establishing cancer care institutes across the country, including in the Northeast, to improve access to specialized treatment. He said that Assam will become the first state in the country to introduce Proton Beam Therapy for cancer treatment in a government medical institution. Shah also expressed gratitude to Radha Krishna Damani for contributing towards strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the state.
Highlighting improvements in maternal healthcare, Shah said that nearly 98 per cent of institutional deliveries in Assam now take place in government hospitals, a significant improvement from the past. He also criticised the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the party had failed to strengthen the healthcare sector during its tenure.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that during the war in Ukraine, many Indian students, including several from Assam, had to return home while studying medicine in Ukraine. He said that the situation highlighted the need to expand medical education in the country. Following this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an initiative to create additional MBBS seats nationwide.
The Chief Minister said that the newly inaugurated Pragjyotishpur Medical College Hospital will have 505 beds and 46 ICU beds. He added that Assam currently has one of the largest networks of cancer care hospitals in the country, and that Proton Beam Therapy will soon be implemented in a government hospital in the state.
Sarma further stated that Assam currently has around 2,000 MBBS seats, and the government aims to establish a medical college in every district of the state by 2030. He also announced that the construction of the medical college at Bongaigaon is expected to be completed next year.
The event was attended by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, State Health Minister Ashok Singhal, and several other dignitaries.