Medical colleges in Himachal to re-open from December 1

After remaining closed for almost nine months due to the pandemic, all the medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh will reopen from December 1. Medical, nursing and paramedical students would have to prove that they were negative to coronavirus before attending the classes.

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh):Medical colleges in Himachal will reopen from December 1, nine months after remaining closed due to the pandemic.

State Health Secretary Amitabh Awasthi informed that medical colleges and nursing colleges will open in the state from December 1 with 100 per cent staff.

He further added that medical, nursing and paramedical students would have to prove that they were negative to coronavirus before attending the classes.

Prior written consent of the students'' parents would also be mandatory, he added.

First and final year classes will start coming from December 1 and the other classes will start on December 7.

The Health Secretary further said that the government is serious about the health of the people and there is no dearth of facilities including beds and oxygen in health care centres. 100 additional cylinders have been made available to the hospitals.

The health department and the government are fully capable of dealing with the pandemic.

He said a three-member central team is currently on a visit to Himachal to take stock of the situation arisen due to the recent spurt in coronavirus cases.

Three new hospitals will be opened for COVID patients in the state at Kullu, Rampur Khaneri in Shimla and Rohru, which will be made operational from December 1.

Ambulances are being arranged for 3 districts of the state - Kangra, Mandi and Shimla, he added.

Earlier, the Union Health Ministry directed the States and Union Territories to initiate necessary steps for the reopening of medical colleges on or before December 1, while following COVID-19 reopening guidelines issued by the competent authorities.