Upgrade push for Vidarbha GMCs: MRI at Gadchiroli, skill lab for Amravati

Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt sanctioned around Rs67 crore funding for Govt Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Vidarbha, including a ₹30 crore 3-Tesla MRI project for Gadchiroli and a state-of-the-art skill lab for Amravati emerging as the most significant allocations recently.Earlier this month, state govt granted administrative approval of nearly Rs55 crore for the purchase of advanced medical equipment at both Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals and Govt Dental College in Nagpur, aiming to expand super specialty services and enable faster, higher-quality treatment for critically ill patients. This took the total funding to around Rs122 crore.
According to a series of Govt Resolutions (GRs) issued by the Medical Education and Drugs Department, the approvals aim to strengthen diagnostic services, clinical infrastructure, and hands-on medical training across Vidarbha's govt-run medical institutions.Gadchiroli GMC received administrative approval for a 3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit on a turnkey basis, including greenfield civil construction, at a cost of ₹30 crore. Once operational, the advanced imaging facility is expected to reduce referrals to Nagpur and other cities, benefiting patients from Gadchiroli and surrounding tribal districts who currently face long travel times for high-end diagnostics.Another key investment is the ₹9.50 crore skill lab sanctioned for Amravati GMC, also on a turnkey basis. The facility will be used for simulation-based training, allowing undergraduate and postgraduate students to practise clinical procedures in a controlled environment, in line with the National Medical Commission's emphasis on competency-based medical education.Beyond these flagship projects, the state cleared several other infrastructure upgrades in Vidarbha. Gondia GMC was sanctioned ₹18.50 crore for the upgradation of its blood bank on a turnkey basis, aimed at improving transfusion services and emergency preparedness. Akola GMC will receive ₹7.20 crore for purchasing specialised equipment for its dermatology and venereology department, enhancing both patient care and academic training.Meanwhile, the newly established Washim GMC was allotted ₹2.44 crore for purchasing furniture for its second academic year, covering multiple departments as the college scales operations.Officials said the funding, to be met from approved state plan allocations, is intended to address long-standing gaps in healthcare access and medical education infrastructure in the Vidarbha region.