Tezpur Medical College: Marching ahead

Dr. Dharmakanta Kumbhakar

(The writer can be reached at drkdharmakanta@yahoo.com)

On January 30, 2023, Tezpur Medical College (TMC) completed nine years of its existence. On this day in 2014, the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi inaugurated and dedicated it to the people of Assam. Though it was inaugurated on January 30, 2014, the outpatient services were started on December 18, 2013, and the indoor services were in February 2014.

Situated in Tumuki village of Bihaguri block of the Sonitpur district, about 20 km from Tezpur town, the existence of TMCH has ushered in economic development at Tumuki and its surrounding areas and has provided job and business opportunities to the local people. Tumuki has been turned into a spot of attention because of the TMC today. Sometimes some people even translate TMC as Tumuki Medical College.

The need for a medical college on the north bank of the Brahmaputra had been a long-standing issue. The issue gained momentum in 2005 when the Society for Medical Education was launched, under which the establishment of three medical colleges- in Jorhat, Barpeta and Tezpur- was planned. Thus, the journey for the establishment of the sixth medical College of Assam started in 2005 with the formation of the Society for Medical Education, Tezpur (SMET) and the acquisition of 110 bighas of agricultural land at Tumuki. The Memorandum of Association for the SMET was signed on August 19, 2005. The foundation stone for the construction of the TMCH was laid by the then President of India, Pratibha Patil, on October 21, 2008. The construction of buildings and other ancillary facilities progressed during the following five years and was completed towards the end of the year 2013, following which faculty members, doctors, nurses, office staff, paramedical staff and other employees of TMCH were gradually appointed.

On the recommendation of the MCI (now replaced as NMC), the Government of India permitted TMC to admit 100 students into the MBBS course for the 2014-15 session. On August 1, 2014, the session was formally launched. January 25, 2019, is a historic day for TMC as it produced the first batch of MBBS doctors on this day. Presently, 125 students get admission into the MBBS course at TMC every academic year.

Meanwhile, the NMC inspected several departments of TMC for postgraduate courses. On the recommendation of the NMC, the Government of India permitted TMC to start postgraduate courses almost in all the departments. In July 2020, the first batch of postgraduate students took admitted to TMC. Today, TMC is a postgraduate medical college.

The teaching and non-teaching staff, the college administrators, postgraduate trainees, interns and the students of TMC are all dedicated to working for the development of the college though they are facing many problems. The major problems include a shortage of accommodation for faculties, doctors, staff and nurses, a shortage of hostels for PG and UG students, a lack of hostels for interns and resident doctors, guest houses, safe-drinking water, auditorium, recreation facilities, utility building, examination hall complex and playground. Still, the faculties of TMC are providing the best education to the students and the best healthcare services to patients.

The students of TMC are excellent in academics as well as extracurricular activities. The pass percentage of TMCians has been consistently high and its students regularly occupy positions in the top 10 with Honours mark in every MBBS examination under SSUHS. They often participate and win prizes in national and State-level competitions in the field of sports, literature and cultural activities.

Shyamoli Sajere Aai Mor Rupohi Mahabharotore Sadori Ji- written and given tunes to by noted lyricist Sri Charu Kamal Hazarika, is the college anthem which was first sung by the students of TMC on its anniversary on January 30, 2016. Chitrapat is the college magazine.

The TMCH is providing quality healthcare services with modern healthcare facilities. It consists of a 500-bed building with modern equipment, ICU, NICU, operation theatres, emergency operation theatres, a blood bank with component separation facility, 128 slices CT scan machine, MRI machine, oxygen tank, mortuary, etc.

However, there are no adequate paying cabin complexes and proper external drainage systems for the liquid effluent at the TMCH campus. These have to be sorted out. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the TMCH was almost converted into a Covid hospital and all the doctors, nurses and health workers served with great dedication. Therefore, the recovery rate for Covid-19 was high and the fatality rate was low at TMCH.

The number of patients at the TMCH is increasing day by day. There are altogether 22 departments under TMCH now. With the increasing flow of patients to the hospital, the need for some super-speciality services like cardiology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery is being felt. As it is situated by the side of the National Highway, the establishment of a trauma centre would also be ideal. For all these additional facilities at TMCH, the government must provide manpower, additional space, infrastructure, equipment and more funds. With the necessary financial help from the government, the TMCH has all the potential to become one of the best medical colleges in Assam to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of people.