Group ready to hand over med college to govt

Group ready to hand over med college to govt

Ramavarman T TNN

Thrissur: 04.06.2020

The NRK group, led by Dr Azad Moopen, has expressed its willingness to hand over DM WIMS medical college and other institutions at Meppadi in Wayanad to the government. The government has formed a seven-member committee to study the infrastructure and other aspects of the institutions.

The order issued by principal secretary Rajan N Khobragade said the panel will be headed by Dr Viswanathan from Thiruvananthapuram MCH and CJ Anitha will be the chairperson of technical committee. The order added that chartered accountant S Suresh Babu, member of the fee regulatory committee, will study the books, accounts and balance sheet of DM WIMS institutions and prepare a valuation report regarding movable and immovable assets.

Director of medical education Dr Remla Beevi said the committee will submit a report within three weeks. “Committee has been appointed primarily to evaluate whether it will be feasible to take over the institutions and at what cost,” she said.

The panel was constituted after Dr Moopen wrote a letter in this regard on June 5, 2020.DM Foundation has not given a clarification and sources in the group said it will issue one on Saturday.

But, leaders of Kerala Private Medical College Management Association said all 23 private medical colleges in state are battling financial crisis and many will have to be closed down or taken over by the government. Kerala Medical College, Cherpulassery has shut while SR Medical College, Varkala is on the verge of closure and admissions remain suspended at Kannur Anjarakandy medical college.

Association president Dr KM Navas and secretary Anilkumar Vallil blamed the government fee structure for the crisis. They said Rs 6-7 crore was need each month to run a medical college with 150 seats and the annual fee should be Rs 10-Rs 12 lakh/student. Government has fixed fee at Rs 6-7 lakh/student.

State planning board member Dr B Ekbal said financial crisis of DM WIMS medical institutions need not be the reason for the proposal. At present, there is no government medical college in Wayanad and government was exploring the possibility of setting up one there, he said, refuting the complaint of private medical colleges.

Government has formed a panel to study the infrastructure and other aspects of DM WIMS medical college and other institutions in Wayanad