ROURKELA: After much delay, the 500-bed NTPC Medical College and Hospital (MCH) at Sundargarh town is all set to start operation from September. As per the normal procedure, admission for 100 under-graduate seats would begin from June and after final selection by August, classes are likely to start from September 1. Currently, the process for appointment of teaching and other staff is underway.
As per the MoU signed in December 2013, the State government will run the MCH after NTPC set up the necessary infrastructure and facilities. Sources in the Health department informed that the process for recruitment of faculty members for the MCH started last year. So far, 10 doctors including three professors and a few associate professors have been appointed. While the government has appointed a principal, it is yet to name the medical superintendent.
For the initial two years, the district headquarters hospital (DHH) at Sundargarh town would act as the treating hospital of the MCH. The new MCH campus would be used for running anatomy, physiology and bio-chemistry departments, administrative offices besides housing students and employees.
Deputy superintendent of NTPCMCH Dr PC Sahu said from Tuesday, the newly-appointed doctors would be assigned responsibilities at the DHH. “We hope first year classes would start from September 1,” he added. However, sources said it may take another couple of years for the complete development of the MCH. Each department would need at least two professors, three-four associate professors and senior doctors. The appointment of non-teaching staff would be made from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and other sources.
NTPCMCH is running several years behind schedule as initially, it was to take admission of the first batch in 2016-17. The NTPC had handed over the new campus to the State government in mid-2020 and since then, it was used as Covid hospital.