Team Herald

PANJIM: The govt is exploring the possibility of having its second medical college in Goa in the South district. Asia's first medical college- Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) had come up in the coastal State way back  in 1842. 

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said ‘the thought has been given’ to start a second medical college in Margao, as a part of the upcoming South Goa district hospital. He added that the proposal for the second medical college will be mooted before CM Pramod Sawant and only if he clears it, the Health Dept will begin the process. 

“Establishing a new medical college will help us to get more MBBS seats and also additional number of doctors who will contribute to the health care sector of the State. It will also help in giving a major boost to the doctor-patient ratio,” Rane said.

Rane said that the new college will be independent of  GMC. “We will take a call whether it will be a govt or a private-run medical college,” he said adding that the govt will collectively take a decision on establishing this facility.

He also announced the govt’s decision to increase the bed capacity of the new South Goa district hospital from the existing 500 to 750-800. "Subsequent to the central government’s vision to increase the number of medical seats and bed capacity of hospitals, the Government of Goa has decided to increase the bed capacity of South Goa district hospital to 750-800 beds and construct a medical college to boost the doctor-patient ratio," Rane tweeted.