Sarangpur MBBS college foundation stone may be laid by year-end
Chandigarh: PGI is all set to expand its footprint and capabilities significantly, with the foundation stone for an MBBS college at its Sarangpur satellite centre expected to be laid by the end of this year.
The ambitious project, detailed in a report submitted to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, aims at commencing MBBS admissions by the academic year, 2028-29. This will address PGI's manpower needs and foster a new generation of medical professionals.
Confirming the development, PGI director, Prof Vivek Lal, said that the Sarangpur campus is a substantial undertaking of Rs 987 crore. He added that the campus would have a 100-seat medical college, modern outpatient departments (OPDs) capable of serving 16,000 patients, as well as a 200-bed emergency block.
This expansion aligns with the government's push to increase the number of MBBS colleges across the country.
Elaborating on other ongoing projects, Prof Lal provided timelines for operationalisation of various satellite centres and new facilities in PGI. The Sangrur satellite centre has 10 dialysis units and has performed 1,165 dialysis procedures since 2024, besides major surgeries, including cancer operations.
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The Una and Ferozepur satellite centres are expected to become operational within a year. The issue of dedicated manpower for these centres is currently being reviewed by the ministry of expenditure.
However, an issue has come up in the acquisition of high-cost diagnostic machines for the Advanced Neurosciences Centre. According to finance adviser Ravinder Singh, the Standing Finance Committee meeting found the cost of certain machines, such as a PET scan priced at Rs 75 crore, unacceptable, prompting a request to revisit the proposal.
"We shall again revise the price and get this approved," Singh stated.
Within the PGI campus, the Advanced Neuroscience Centre is awaiting a few clearances from the UT administration. Despite this, Prof Lal assured that the OPDs in the neuroscience centre would commence functioning by the first week of September, with diagnostic machines to follow. The Mother and Child Centre is projected to be operational in approximately six months. Notably, machines worth Rs 150 crore for this centre have already been procured through Infosys, with manpower for these new facilities remaining a key focus.
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