Sarma: Neotia centre will benefit NE states
Guwahati: Chief minister
announced a massive healthcare infrastructure overhaul for Assam, while inaugurating the Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Childcare Centre (NBWCC) in Guwahati here on Thursday.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
During the event, the Assam CM revealed plans to invest Rs 4000 crore in expanding the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) into a 5000-bed facility.
He also praised the newly-inaugurated NBWC centre saying that he was happy that the group had invested in Assam " I am sure that the people of Assam, along with other northeastern states, will immensely benefit from this venture of the Neotia Group," said Sarma.
The state-of-the-art 100-bed facility is specifically designed to provide specialised, high-quality care across obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatology, infertility treatments, and paediatrics.
During the inauguration, Harshavardhan Neotia, chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group, said, "The inauguration of the hospital represents an important turning point for us as we extend our footprint into the north-eastern region. Having built a trusted legacy in woman and child healthcare across eastern India, this expansion underscores our commitment to enhancing access to quality healthcare in emerging regions.
"
Through this facility, we aim to bring advanced clinical care, cutting-edge technology and specialised services to women and children not only in Assam but across the neighbouring states, added Neotia.
Himanta also announced that 24 new medical colleges will be established across Assam by 2029. This expansion will significantly boost the state's existing network of 14 medical colleges.
The investment in GMCH is expected to significantly reduce patient load on existing facilities.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The initiative aligns with the state government's broader strategy to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable across rural and urban areas.
"Our vision is to transform Assam into a medical hub for the entire northeast region, and the Rs 4000 crore investment in GMCH will help us materialise our vision by converting it into a 5000-bed facility," said Sarma during the inauguration ceremony.
Sarma highlighted the state's progressive approach to healthcare development, noting, "Assam already operates 14 medical colleges, and we expect the Pragjyotishpur Medical College to become operational within this year. We actively welcome private investment in the health sector to better serve our patients' diverse medical needs."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
44 minutes ago
- Hans India
NDA govt improved medical services in State: Yadav
Guntur: Minister for Medical and Health Satya Kumar Yadav said the coalition government streamlined the medical services at the government hospitals in the State during the last one year. He addressed the media in Amaravati on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, he explained how the coalition government improved the medical services at the government general hospitals in the State. He said outpatient numbers increased at the GGHs and the State was moving towards 'Arogya Andhra Pradesh.' Infrastructural facilities have been improved. There is rise in accountability in medical staff. He said the Centre released Rs 100 crore prize for implementing the 30 schemes of National Health Mission in the State during the year 2024-2025. He further said that the government increased the capacity of diagnostic centres in the GGHs to render better services. The Health Minister said the coalition government was planning to conduct medical tests at the doorsteps of the patients through 104 vehicles. Special Chief Scretary (Medical and Health) M T Krishna Babu was also present.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Weight-loss drug bulks up sales as patients upgrade dosage
Eli Lilly's weight-loss and diabetes drug, Mounjaro, has rapidly gained popularity in India, achieving Rs 24 crore in sales within three months. Young adults in their 30s and 40s are showing significant interest, with many upgrading to higher doses. While experts acknowledge its potential in addressing obesity, they caution about long-term efficacy, side effects, and affordability for the Indian population. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: Sales of Mounjaro, Eli Lilly 's blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drug, have touched Rs 24 crore within three months of its India launch, making it one of the most popular and fastest adopted new drugs in the country, with many people in their thirties and early forties showing sales grew 60% month on month to Rs 12.60 crore last month from Rs 7.87 crore in April, with the 5 mg injections accounting for Rs 7.53 crore—up 145% from Rs 3.08 crore in the previous month, data from industry tracker PharmaTrac showed. This indicates that patients are upgrading to higher doses after taking an initial base dose of 2.5 mg, experts doctors recommend a dose escalation to 5 mg after one month of starting the medication, depending on side effects. Mounjaro is currently available in 2.5 mg and 5 mg injections in India. Sales of 2.5 mg injections rose to Rs 5.08 crore in May from Rs 4.80 crore in April and Rs 1.42 crore in March, when it was launched, according to PharmaTrac data.'Our data indicates patients upgrading to higher dose after four weeks as well as new patients onboarding on lower dose,' said Sheetal Sapale, vice president, commercial, at endocrinologists said many people in their 30s and early 40s are reaching out to doctors to check if they could use the medication to lose weight.'There are many young people asking me if they could use the drug,' said Vyankatesh Shivane, diabetology and endocrinology consultant at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre in Mumbai. He said Indian patients are responding well to tirzepatide (Mounjaro).'Clinical trials conducted previously on Indian obese diabetes patients have shown good weight loss benefits at more than 20% as well as good sugar control,' Shivane said. 'Both semaglutide (Novo Nordisk's Wegovy) and tirzepatide have completed cardiovascular safety trials and have shown added benefits of reduction of cardiovascular events in Type 2 diabetes patients,' he drugmaker Novo Nordisk is expected to launch its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy in India this year. Doctors said medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy could prove an actionable remedy in a country of 80 million obese they cautioned that it would take four to six months to assess their effect on a larger Indian population regarding actual weight loss efficacy, potential weight regain after stopping the medication, and side to Shivane, clinical trails have shown weight regain of 5-7% once the drug is stopped. 'That is where patients will need counselling in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle including healthy dietary habits and regular exercise,' he Kumar Sinha, consultant physician at Mumbai-based WeCare Wellness, said, 'The molecule is good. Global studies suggest there are patients who have benefitted from it, but there are also those who have dropped out due to side effects that are mostly gastrointestinal in nature.' Commonly reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal pain. Sinha said it will take 3-4 months to tell how the drug is working on Indian patients. 'One also has to look at the affordability issue,' he added. In India, Mounjaro is priced at Rs 3,500 for a 2.5 mg vial and Rs 4,375 for a 5 mg vial, which translates to Rs 14,000-17,500 per month, depending on the weekly dose. This means a six month treatment could cost about Rs 1 to a recent study published in leading medical journal Lancet, 70% of India's urban population is classified as obese, or overweight.'Obesity is like a pandemic in India and diabetes is very common and it is one of the useful drugs,' Anurag Lila, visiting consultant endocrinologist at Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai, told ET in a recent interaction.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
CM opens med college & hospital in Kandhamal; inaugurates projects worth over Rs 970cr in 2 dists
1 2 Berhampur/Bhubaneswar: A state-of-the-art medical college and hospital was inaugurated by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Kandhamal district on Saturday, fulfilling a long-standing demand of locals. The 100-seat medical college and 650-bed hospital, built at a cost of over Rs 600 crore, is located at Tilakpada near Phulbani. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, CM Majhi emphasised that the facility would provide quality healthcare services to residents of Kandhamal and neighbouring districts like Boudh, Nayagarh and Kalahandi. A govt officer said the medical college hopes to start admission from this year, subject to approval from the National Medical Commission. The 650-bed facility is an upgrade of the existing district headquarters hospital, which would now be attached to the medical college. It had 420 beds earlier. The CM highlighted his govt's commitment to healthcare, noting that the current allocation of Rs 23,635 crore for the health sector represents 8.2% of the total budget — the highest ever in the state's history. "Within the next year, we will address the doctor shortages across the state, ensuring adequate medical staff at every hospital," Majhi said. He added that around 3.50 crore people would benefit from the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), integrated with the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, covering 29,000 private hospitals statewide. Taking aim at the previous BJD govt, Majhi criticised its failure to implement the Ayushman Yojana and alleged neglect of healthcare infrastructure over the past 24 years. During his first visit to Kandhamal as CM, Majhi also inaugurated five projects worth Rs 655 crore and laid foundation stones for five additional projects valued at Rs 94 crore. These initiatives span various sectors including water supply, education, healthcare, infrastructure and tourism. The govt plans to establish industries in every district, including Kandhamal, to boost employment opportunities. Additionally, Rs 18 crore has been allocated for developing Daringbadi as a tourist destination, with Rs 4.50 crore earmarked for the Putudi waterfall project. The inauguration ceremony was attended by health minister Mukesh Mahaling, Kandhamal MP Sukant Panigrahy, and Phulbani MLA Uma Charan Mallick, among others. Later, the CM visited Subarnapur district, where he launched 56 development projects worth Rs 323 crore. The projects included 11 completed initiatives valued at Rs 80 crore and foundation stones for 45 projects worth Rs 244 crore, encompassing road construction, irrigation facilities, bridges, healthcare infrastructure and hostels. Majhi announced plans to construct four riverbed reservoirs (ISS) on the Mahanadi at Godhaneswar, Khairmal (Birmaharajpur block), Harihar Jor (Ulunda), and Surubali (Birmaharajpur). "Subarnapur will be transformed into a golden region. Our govt has already implemented 11 out of 21 promised programmes within a year. We will continue to support the district's development without any obstacles," Majhi told a public gathering. The CM highlighted Subarnapur's rich cultural heritage, particularly noting its association with Sant Kabi Bhima Bhoi and its contributions to literature, history and traditional crafts. MP (Balangir) Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, who attended the event, praised the state govt's efforts in developing backward regions and acknowledged the central govt's support for infrastructure development. During the programme, Majhi also distributed work orders and assistance to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes. The initiative is part of govt's broader strategy to accelerate development in Subarnapur, with a particular focus on harnessing its river resources for regional prosperity.
