Punjab: PGI to set up MBBS campus on 25-acre land in Sarangpur | Chandigarh News – Times of India

CHANDIGARH: PGI‘s MBBS committee plans to take 25 acres, half of the total land area, in Sarangpur for its MBBS campus. A meeting was held by the committee on Monday to chalk out a plan for the medical college. Though there was nothing conclusive, it has been decided to have an intake of 100 seats and gradually increase it with time.
“The union health minister agreed to 100 seats while he was in Sangrur on Sunday. The minister agreed to approve the proposal as soon as it came to him and sanction hostels, lecture theatres and auditorium,” said Prof Vivek Lal, director PGI.
However, if the MBBS campus is approved, some of the superspecialty blocks may have to be scrapped to make way for the medical college.
“We will have a standing finance committee meeting by next month. The proposal which we have been working on for MBBS shall be mooted in that committee,” said deputy director, administration, PGI, Kumar Gaurav Dhawan.
For the satellite centre, 50.76 acre land has been allotted to PGI for its 500-bedded trauma centre, screening OPD, 500-bedded Cancer Centre, 600-bedded Gastroenterology and Hepatology centre, Endocrinology Centre and Learning Resource Centre. There is also a plan to set up a 250-300 bedded infectious disease hospital at Sarangpur, PGI’s satellite centre.
“The screening OPD is for new OPD cases. If this is finalised, all the new cases will be managed at this satellite centre to reduce workload here. However, follow up cases in the OPD will be seen in PGI Chandigarh only. This depends on the MBBS campus and its approval as the undergraduate course is the priority,” said the DDA.
Sangrur is the first satellite centre of PGI where screening OPD centre had been functional for a while. Sarangpur, which is nearby, is the second such satellite centre.
In June, PGI got the final approval from the union ministry of health and family welfare to start the MBBS course. During the standing finance committee meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday, PGI was asked to fast track the MBBS course.