Health Minister KK Shylaja holding a high-level meeting on Thursday. Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan, Medical Education Director Ramla Beevi and Joice George MP are also seen
Health Minister KK Shylaja holding a high-level meeting on Thursday. Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan, Medical Education Director Ramla Beevi and Joice George MP are also seen

Kerala government to fast-track work; classes to begin next academic year in Idukki Medical College

The Minister also said the process of taking over a 40-acre land belonging to the Idukki District Panchayat for the medical college has entered its final phase. ​

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The Idukki Government Medical College is in line to begin classes from the 2019-20 academic year. In a high-level meeting convened at the Health Minister’s chamber on Thursday, it has been decided to speed up construction activities at the medical college and to complete the same in a time-bound manner. Shylaja said the Health Department will soon approach the Finance Department to create the posts needed for commencing classes. The Minister also said the process of taking over a 40-acre land belonging to the Idukki District Panchayat for the medical college has entered its final phase. 

“The meeting mainly discussed clearing the obstacles related to environmental clearance,” Shylaja said.
“When the Medical Council of India cancelled the recognition for the medical college citing a lack of infrastructural facilities, including beds, this government had taken utmost care to redeploy the students who were left in the lurch.”

According to the Minister, while the medical college had the pre-clinical facilities to begin the first-year MBBS classes, the government decided to establish clinical posting too at the college. For the same, an amount of Rs 60 crore has been allotted. “While the structure of the first block has been completed, the construction of the second block will begin soon. The construction of the academic block that houses the departments of pathology, microbiology, forensic medicine, community medicine and others will be completed within a month. The block is being constructed at a cost of Rs 10 crore,” the Minister said.

As the MCI had pointed out the absence of a hostel for students and quarters for staff, an amount of Rs 92.14 crore has been sanctioned. The foundation-stone for the same will be laid on Monday, she said. 
Though the then UDF Government had opened the Idukki Medical College on September 1, 2014, around 100 MBBS students along with the staff had to be redeployed following the cancellation of recognition by MCI. It is learnt, as the government is planning to reopen the medical college, it has asked the Medical Education Director to provide details of the staff needed to operate it.

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