subject: Delhi May Acquire New Medical College In Dwarka [print this page] With the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) sanctioning additional land close to the proposed Dwarka hospital, the Delhi government is now considering converting the hospital into a medical college.
Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said: The DDA has sanctioned us 10 acres of additional land. We have been laying emphasis on propagating medical education. This is another step towards this goal. The government is now discussing the possibilities of developing this medical college on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The cost of the 750-bedded Bharat Ratna Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka Sector 9 was estimated at Rs 350 crore. The additional allotment has given the Delhi government 24 acres for the project. The Medical Council of India (MCI) makes it mandatory for a hospital-cum-medical college complex to be spread over a minimum of 20 acres. We now qualify in this criteria, said Walia.
The only roadblock for the government at present is the prospect of constructing a medical college alongside a hospital that is designed to be run by a private partner, as per the existing plan.
Our past experience has made us cautious. There have been several clashes between the University College of Medical Sciences under the Delhi University and the state-run GTB Hospital, to which it is attached, said Walia.
We see this as a valuable opportunity to strengthen our assets in the medical education sector. It makes sense for the government to run the college and the hospital together, said Walia.
The Health Minister, however, said this will not result in a delay in the construction of the hospital. We will immediately reconsider the project and decide whether the PPP model is to be followed. PWD engineers are already working on the spot, and consultants have been appointed for designing the hospital, she said. She, however, agreed that the costs will have to be re-worked to arrive at a sustainable financial model from the governments own funds.
