Gujarat to have 43 medical colleges by end of 2023: Health Minister

Gujarat is working to have 43 functional medical colleges by end of this year so that the state can get 7,000 new doctors every year. Currently, there are 8,844 health and wellness centres, 1,475 primary health centres, 9,231 sub-health Centres, 354 urban primary health centres, 365 collective health centres, 59 sub-district hospitals, 518 Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the state.

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said that the government is planning to have a total of 43 functional medical colleges by end of this year to get 7,000 new doctors every year. At present, the state is creating 6,350 doctors every year.

“The state government has worked with determination to extend the health services to the rural level. Zone-wise superspecialty hospitals are being prepared in the state on the lines of Ahmedabad Civil Medicity. For this, infrastructure, services, equipment, accommodation facilities and appointment of healthcare workers have been carried out in superspecialty hospitals in Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar," said the minister, as reported by Indian Express.

He said that so far, 25.97 lakh teleconsultations and 9.87 lakh citizens have benefited from e-Sanjeevani OPDs in the state.

“As a result of various health related services of the state health department, the maternal mortality rate in Gujarat has reached 57 and the infant mortality rate has reached 23. In order to control the non-communicable diseases due to the changing lifestyle, the state government has also launched screening to treatment programmes at Health and Wellness Centers. Under which the health screening of 2.70 crore people has been completed, so far,” added the minister.

Read more:

• 71% increase in medical colleges since 2014, says health ministry
• Kerala doctors on statewide strike today