National Medical Commission team pays surprise visit to NIMSR

Two officials from National Medical Commission (NMC) inspected Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (NIMSR) at Phriebagie, Kohima and teaching hospital at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHA) here on Tuesday.
The State government officials were taken by surprise as the NMC inspectors arrived without prior intimation, which was reportedly a regular practice of the commission.
NIMSR director-cum-dean Dr Soumya Chakraborty, who joined office on December 12, 2022, told Nagaland Post that the NMC officials had expressed satisfaction at the facilities.
She claimed that the inspectors were happy to see apartments for the faculty, boys’ and girls’ hostels, road in the campus and the overall construction.
She admitted that the visiting NMC officials were apprehensive of the administrative building since bamboo scaffolds and ladders were not cleared. However, Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) officials, including commissioner secretary and principal director, who were present at the site, assured the visiting officials to remove them in time.
She said laboratories were ready, except for the procurement and installation of equipment.
Chakraborty disclosed that the visiting NMC officials were unhappy because faculty recruitment was not done even though the posts were advertised in October 2022.
She attributed the delay to a screening committee that was set up for evaluation of applications prior to interviewing of the applicants, pointing out that everything had to be done systematically in accordance with NMC criteria and norms.
The NMC officials also pointed out that NIMSR was not painted at the entrance gate. They were assured that this would be done.
The director clarified that Tuesday’s inspection was not final and that more such visits would take place.
She asserted that once the construction and recruitment processes were over, the equipment were installed and the book centre was put in place, the institute would look like a fully functional college, after which getting permission to kick start the college would not be a problem.
NIMSR to be ready by March 2023
Meanwhile, during the visit, it was also found that sports complex, apartments, external works and roads within NIMSR were complete, while the boys’ and girls’ hostels and administrative block were in final stage of completion.
Electrification and water supply connections were also ready and sanitation fittings were underway.
According to NIMSR officials, the entire college will be ready by March this year, including the teaching block and hospital. They also disclosed that procurement of equipment was in process.
Regarding recruitment, it has been learnt that screening process was complete and interview would begin shortly.
The State government had advertised for 88 posts, including six professors, 20 associate professors, 24 assistant professors and 38 senior residents/tutors.
The officials revealed that more than 200 applications had been received from all over the country, including some Naga applicants who had applied for posts like assistant professors and senior residents/tutors.
In the first year, NIMSR will start with three departments – Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry – and the students’ intake capacity will be 100.
The officials said over 700 staff/employees would be required for institute when it was fully functional, of which about 300 would be required in the first year.