CM opens Lakhimpur Nursing College, lays foundation for 300cr super-specialty hospital

Guwahati: In a major push to healthcare and education infrastructure in Assam, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed Lakhimpur Nursing College under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) and performed the bhoomipujan for a super-specialty hospital in the district.

The nursing college is the second such institution under ACCF, after the Barpeta Nursing College inaugurated last year.

It is the first BSc nursing college on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and boasts the highest seat capacity among nursing colleges in the state.

The college is expected to play a pivotal role in cancer care and bolster Assam’s healthcare system by producing a new generation of skilled nurses.

Sarma highlighted the growing global demand for nurses, noting that over 50 Assamese nurses are currently employed in Singapore, earning salaries between Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 lakh per month.

He added that Japan and South Korea have expressed interest in recruiting nurses from Assam. To support such international opportunities, govt has launched the CM-FLIGHT initiative, which includes Japanese language training centres in Guwahati.

Emphasising the importance of nursing in cancer treatment, the chief minister announced that BSc nursing colleges will be established alongside each of the 17 cancer hospitals being developed across Assam.

He said there are plans for another nursing college at Lakhimpur Medical College, which will offer both BSc and MSc nursing courses.

Sarma added that the health department and the National Health Mission (NHM) collectively recruit between 1,500 to 2,000 nurses annually. He emphasised that strengthening nursing education will be key to addressing unemployment and meeting the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals in Assam.

Turning to healthcare infrastructure, Sarma announced that the upcoming super-specialty hospital in Lakhimpur will be built at a cost of Rs 190 crore, with an additional Rs 1000-crore allocated for medical equipment, bringing the total investment to nearly Rs 300 crore.

The hospital will house six major departments — neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, nephrology, and urology — along with ICUs and paying cabins. The facility is expected to be completed within three years.

Speaking on the expansion of super-specialty healthcare infrastructure in the state, the chief minister announced that, in addition to the 800-bed hospital being set up by a private company in Guwahati, another private hospital group will also establish a facility in the city. He said discussions are underway with three other leading hospital groups to set up advanced medical institutions across the state — a move expected to create substantial employment opportunities for nurses.

He also mentioned ongoing projects, including a civil hospital in Narayanpur and a 200-bed hospital in Dhakuakhana, which will begin construction within two months.

Calling the inauguration a moment of pride for Lakhimpur, Sarma said the north bank of the Brahmaputra, once a neglected region, is now emerging as one of Assam’s most developed areas. He cited key developments such as medical colleges in Biswanath, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji, Madhabdev University in Bihpuria, North Lakhimpur University, and a campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Gogamukh.

On the occasion, Sarma also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, urging citizens to emulate Patel’s ideals and contribute to nation-building.