It is time the government stepped in to take over the Cochin Medical College, which has grown beyond the initial expectations, says its founder principal and chief medical advisor to the State government P. G. R. Pillai.
He told The Hindu that though the Cooperative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE) had passed a resolution six months ago to pave the way for a government takeover nothing came of it.
With a little push from the government, CMC will be the front runner among medical colleges in the State though the last couple of years have seen it lose direction.
Dr. Pillai said the right kind of intervention by the government would help the college grow into an institution providing quality healthcare at affordable rates.
Dr. Pillai said the government was coming up with five medical colleges across the State and taking over an already running medical college would not be a problem. The takeover will help the medical college hospital here get financial help from the Rs. 95 lakh crore earmarked for the health sector in the 12th Plan. The biggest blot on the college’s records is its failure to launch post-graduate courses, he said. Twelve years is more than enough time for PG courses as well as super specialty departments, he added.
