Goa Medical College advisory board to have experts from AIIMS, WHO, says State Health Minister

The GMCH in Bambolim, north Goa, is the largest government-run hospital in the State, and one of the oldest medical colleges in India, with over 1,500 beds catering to patients from Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Goa Government will set up an advisory board of experts to monitor the functioning of the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Thursday (June 19, 2025).

The board, which will be headed by the State Health Minister with representatives from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), World Health Organization (WHO), the Union Government, and specialists from across the country, is expected to enhance healthcare services at the hospital on par with international standards.

The State’s Additional Secretary (Health) will be the advisory board’s Member Secretary. Board members will guide the team of doctors at the GMCH, Mr. Rane told The Hindu.

“The advisory board for the GMCH existed in the past when I was the Health Minister, but when the next Minister came in, he dismantled it. Back then also, we had medical experts from AIIMS, the WHO, and a couple of doctors from Mumbai. This advisory board is absolutely crucial, with independent experts onboard, along with the other government agencies. The board will also decide the standard operating procedures for specialised treatments in the hospital,” Mr. Rane said.

The GMCH in Bambolim, north Goa, is the largest government-run hospital in the State, and one of the oldest medical colleges in India, with over 1,500 beds catering to patients from Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The medical college, established in 1842 as the Escola Medico Cirurgica de Goa, was originally formed to train doctors to serve the erstwhile Portuguese colony in Goa. Following Independence, the GMCH, which was renamed as such in 1963, became a part of the Indian healthcare system.

Mr. Rane also said the State was in the process of bringing experts in emergency medicine to the hospital. “Emergency medicine plays a vital role in providing timely and effective care to people experiencing sudden illnesses or injuries, including road traffic accidents. We are also trying to bring in experts from private hospitals such as the Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, as they are investing a lot in research, and their knowledge will benefit our doctors and patients here,” he said.

The team of 12 or 13 doctors will be from Mumbai, Manipal, Delhi, Bhopal, and Arunachal Pradesh. “We are still in the process of finalising and bringing everyone onboard. So far, we have Dr. R. P. Srivastava, past president, the Association of Surgeons of India; Dr. Ajai Singh from AIIMS Bhopal; and Dr. Sagar Galwankar, emergency medicine specialist associated with AIIMS. From Mumbai, we will have Dr. Ashok Johari, renowned orthopaedic surgeon; Padmashri Dr. Amit Maydeo, Chairman of the Institute of Gastrosciences, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital; and Dr. Sunil Bandekar from the Breach Candy Hospital. Once we have the team, we will divide them into two groups and have a quarterly in-person meeting, and monthly virtual meeting,” Mr. Rane said, adding that the State Government wanted to increase the efficiency of the hospital and provide good care to patients, with the ultimate objective of helping the poor and needy.

“The advisory board will further strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of providing international standard healthcare in all the states and making healthcare affordable and accessible for all,” Mr. Rane said.

Published - June 20, 2025 12:12 am IST