HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, Oct 14: Union health and family welfare minister Dr
Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the Nagaland Institute of Medical
Sciences and Research (NIMSR) in Kohima, the first medical college in
Nagaland, on Saturday, realising the long-cherished dream of the
people of Nagaland.
Chief minister Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief minister TR Zeliang, state
health and family welfare minister P Paiwang Konyak, other
ministers, senior officials of the Union and Nagaland government,
members of civil societies, among others, were present on the
occasion.
Affiliated to Nagaland University, the NIMSR received the letter of
permission for admission of 100 MBBS seats from the academic year
2023-2024 from the National Medical Commission in April 2023
paving way to start the first medical college in the state after 60
years of statehood.
A total of 85 MBBS students from Nagaland and six students from
other states got admitted to the NIMSR this year and joined their
MBBS classes after their induction programme on September 1.
Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said the NIMSR is not just a
medical college it is also a research institute.
“It will not only fulfill the purpose of imparting medical education but
will also address the health issues of the Naga people,” he said.
Mandaviya urged the students and other stakeholders to not limit
their scope of research within national borders.
“We must bank on opportunities abroad as well,” he said.
Mandaviya informed that the Union government has started foreign
language courses in many medical education institutes in the country
so that the students have an edge in getting jobs abroad.
CM Rio called the inauguration of the first medical college a historic
day for the people of Nagaland.
Saying that it was a long cherished dream of the people of Nagaland
to have a medical college in the state, Rio thanked the Union
government for steadfastly taking up the project. He hoped the
NIMSR would help the state in strengthening its secondary and
tertiary healthcare and become a centre of excellence in the coming
days.
Minister Konyak thanked the Centre for the importance given to
strengthening medical education and health infrastructure in the
state. He also thanked the World Bank, Japan International
Cooperation Agency and other partners and agencies who were
involved with the NIMSR Kohima project.
