Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday announced the establishment of four new medical colleges in the state, bringing the total number of such institutions to approximately 30. The new colleges will be located in Alipurduar, Kalimpong, South Dinajpur, and West Burdwan districts.
Current Medical College Landscape
Bengal currently operates 26 state-run medical colleges, with five of them situated in Kolkata. The addition of four new colleges is expected to significantly enhance healthcare accessibility and medical education opportunities across the state.
Proposed AIIMS for North Bengal
Adhikari also stated that the proposed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for north Bengal would be finalized after consultations with local Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) regarding its location. This move aims to address the region's long-standing demand for advanced medical facilities.
District-Wise Reactions
Alipurduar
In Alipurduar, a district formed in 2014 that has persistently struggled with inadequate healthcare infrastructure, the announcement was met with widespread approval. BJP MLA Paritosh Das expressed residents' satisfaction, noting that the new college would address critical healthcare gaps.
Kalimpong
In Kalimpong, the district's chief medical officer confirmed that land identification for the college has already commenced. However, he cautioned that land acquisition in the Hills follows a distinct process and may require considerable time to complete.
South Dinajpur
The announcement in South Dinajpur fulfills a long-standing local demand. Currently, critical patients from the district have no option but to travel nearly 120 kilometers to Malda Medical College for treatment, as neither Gangarampur Super Specialty Hospital nor Balurghat District Hospital possesses the necessary infrastructure. BJP district secretary Bapi Sarkar described the development as a dream come true. Balurghat resident Subhendu Sarkar emphasized that people in the area can hardly afford private healthcare, making a government-run hospital an urgent necessity.
West Burdwan
In West Burdwan, Asansol resident Sachin Balodia expressed relief that students from the district would no longer need to travel to other districts for medical education, highlighting the positive impact on local youth.
(With inputs from Roshan Gupta, Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, Subhro Maitra, and Mohammad Asif)
