Tripura CM Manik Saha hands over appointment letters to 42 GDMOs, urges continuous learning and compassion, while highlighting healthcare reforms, digital services, medical education expansion, kidney transplants and plans to strengthen rural healthcare and advanced treatment facilities.
The State Government has given special emphasis to recruiting doctors and healthcare workers, alongside expanding health infrastructure, with the aim of ensuring advanced and modern healthcare services reach every citizen of the state. Improving the quality of healthcare services and making the state more self-reliant in the medical sector by addressing the shortage of doctors remain among the government’s key objectives.
Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha stated this today while inaugurating the appointment letter distribution programme for General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) and the training programme for dental surgeons and Community Health Officers (CHOs) at Pragna Bhavan.
The Chief Minister said that bringing about a transformational change in the state’s healthcare system and ensuring access to modern medical services for every citizen is not merely a promise but one of the government’s foremost responsibilities. He emphasized that the present government believes in action rather than words, and today’s recruitment and training initiative is another important example of that commitment.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stated that the government is working swiftly to fill vacant posts in the Health Department. The recruitment process through the Tripura Public Service Commission (TPSC) has already begun. He expressed confidence that this would further strengthen healthcare services in rural and remote areas of the state. He further said that government recruitment processes are now being conducted with transparency and merit as the guiding principles.
The government is committed to ensuring that deserving youth receive opportunities based on their qualifications. Alongside maintaining transparency in recruitment, special attention is being given to appointing an adequate number of doctors to strengthen healthcare services.
Addressing the newly appointed doctors, the Chief Minister said that the medical profession is not merely a job but a noble responsibility directly connected with human life and health. He said that the importance of empathy and humane behaviour toward patients, noting that compassionate treatment often works more effectively than medicine itself. Serving as a government doctor means dedicating oneself to public service, he said, urging the new recruits to treat every patient as a member of their own family.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the need for doctors to engage in continuous learning and stay updated with modern technology, artificial intelligence, and emerging medical practices. Highlighting the achievements of the state government in the health sector, he said that nine successful kidney transplants have already been performed in Tripura. The government is now working towards introducing heart and liver transplant services in the future. He further stated that 100 percent of the state’s population has been brought under health insurance coverage through the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, while the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is also progressing successfully.
Speaking about advancements in medical education, the Chief Minister said that Agartala Government Medical College has secured the 131st position among 823 medical colleges in the country. Digital healthcare is also being strengthened through e-Sanjeevani and ABHA cards. He added that the Integrated Health Management Information System (IHIMS), introduced at the 50-bed Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil Hospital at Kasari Patti, Agartala, will play a significant role in improving digital healthcare services in the state.
Outlining future healthcare plans, the Chief Minister stated that the foundation stone for a medical college at Ambassa was laid and land worship performed yesterday. The government has also initiated steps to establish a separate Health University in the state. Plans are underway to set up an Ayurvedic Medical College at Tepania in Udaipur and a Homeopathic Medical College in Agartala. Efforts are also progressing to develop Agartala Dental College into a Centre of Excellence. Modernisation work and the establishment of trauma care centres at the sub-divisional hospitals in Jirania, Mohanpur, and Udaipur are also ongoing.
He stated that with the increase in the state’s overall budget, opportunities for investment and infrastructure development in the health sector have also expanded. The government is continuously taking necessary steps to make healthcare services more people-centric and modern. The Chief Minister further stated that affordable lunch facilities at GB Hospital, along with Bharat Mata Canteen and shelter homes for patients’ attendants, have been introduced to ease the hardships faced by common people. These initiatives, he said, reflect the humane approach of the present government.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte said that the government is prioritising the strengthening of rural and primary healthcare services. The appointment of 42 doctors will further reinforce healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. He also said that necessary measures are being taken to expand opportunities for higher education among medical professionals.
Referring to dental healthcare services, the Secretary stated that the National Oral Health Mission is placing special emphasis on the School Health Programme. Screening camps have already been conducted in many schools across the state to identify dental problems among children at an early stage. He expressed hope that the two-day training programme would significantly enhance the professional skills of the participants. It may be mentioned that during the programme, the Chief Minister symbolically handed over appointment letters to a few of the 42 newly appointed General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs). A documentary showcasing the year-long activities of the National Oral Health Programme was also screened. The Chief Minister and other dignitaries unveiled the cover of the souvenir Swasthya Sangbad.
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Director of Health Services Dr. Debashree Debbarma delivered the vote of thanks. Among those present were Director of Family Welfare and Disease Prevention Dr. Anjan Das, Director in-charge of Health Education Dr. Abhijit Datta, President of the Indian Dental Association, Tripura State Branch, Dr. Amit Lal Goswami, and other distinguished guests.
