Agartala, October 14, 2026: Highlighting the expansion of medical education and healthcare infrastructure across Tripura, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Wednesday evening said the state government was working to establish new medical colleges, introduce advanced treatment facilities and strengthen specialised healthcare services to make quality treatment accessible to people within the state. Addressing the 66th Foundation Day celebration of GBP Hospital at the KLS Auditorium in Agartala, he announced that several initiatives, including a proposed Health University, new medical colleges and upgraded diagnostic facilities, would play a significant role in transforming the state’s healthcare sector.
Recalling his years as a doctor at GB Hospital, Saha said the institution had witnessed remarkable changes since its establishment and paid tribute to the doctors, healthcare workers and volunteers whose contributions laid the foundation for its development.
“Today is a day of great joy for us. We must remember those whose visionary leadership and sincere efforts helped establish this hospital. The very idea of a medical college emerged from this institution,” he said.
The Chief Minister asserted that Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GBP Hospital were now comparable with medical institutions elsewhere in the country. He said AGMC had secured the 31st position among more than 800 medical colleges in India and expressed hope that collective efforts would help the institution enter the country’s top ten in the future.
Emphasising the importance of public confidence in government hospitals, Saha said infrastructure and modern equipment alone could not guarantee quality healthcare. Accurate diagnosis, timely treatment and compassionate interaction with patients were equally important.
“We have provided the infrastructure and equipment, but the primary prerequisite for treatment is an accurate diagnosis. When patients receive proper treatment and successful outcomes, the news spreads beyond Tripura. We must restore the public trust that GB Hospital once commanded,” he said.
He urged doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and administrative personnel to work together to ensure that patients no longer felt compelled to travel outside the state for treatment. According to him, referrals to facilities outside Tripura had already declined by around 80 per cent, and the government aimed to reduce them further.
Saha highlighted several healthcare facilities inaugurated as part of the foundation day celebrations, including a new Cath Lab, a 12-bed Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a 14-bed Medical ICU and an Integrated Service Laboratory. The laboratory, being established at a cost of approximately ₹3.50 crore, will bring the Microbiology, Biochemistry and Pathology departments under one roof and use modern diagnostic equipment to accelerate investigations.
He said the new Cath Lab would facilitate advanced treatment for complex cardiac conditions, while the dedicated Surgical ICU would ensure specialised postoperative monitoring and care. The additional Medical ICU beds would further strengthen treatment facilities for critically ill patients.
The Chief Minister thanked HDFC Bank for contributing ₹3.20 crore through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund and another ₹1.50 crore through its foundation. He also acknowledged ONGC’s support, observing that private and public sector contributions could complement government efforts in healthcare development.
On medical education, Saha said Tripura was steadily increasing opportunities for students to pursue professional courses within the state. The government had initiated the process of establishing an Ayurvedic Medical College at Tepania near Udaipur, with an expected intake of 60 students. He also referred to the Dental College, the recently inaugurated Homeopathic Medical College and the expansion of nursing education.
“We started the Dental College by utilising an existing building instead of waiting for a new structure to be completed. Within seven months, the college became operational. Where there is a will, things can happen,” he said, stressing that development should not be delayed unnecessarily by waiting for new buildings.
Saha further said the government was pursuing plans to establish a medical college in South Tripura, with the Union Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Minority Affairs having offered financial assistance of ₹200–300 crore for the proposed project. He said instructions had been issued to prepare the necessary project reports.
He also highlighted the passage of the Health University Bill in the state Assembly, stating that the proposed university would bring healthcare-related educational institutions under a common state-level framework and strengthen medical education and administration.
Referring to the growth in medical education, the Chief Minister said AGMC now had 250 MBBS seats, taking the total number of MBBS seats across Tripura to 550. He added that postgraduate opportunities had also increased considerably compared with the earlier situation.
Saha said the government had expanded GBP Hospital’s bed capacity from 727 to approximately 1,141 since he took charge of the Health Department, with another 100 beds planned. He also referred to the establishment of a trauma centre, operating theatre facilities, a labour room and an Obstetrics and Gynaecology OT complex, along with earlier additions to critical-care services.
He said digitalisation through the Integrated Health Information and Management System (IHIMS) was another important step towards modernising hospitals, improving academic activities and making healthcare delivery more efficient.
The Chief Minister also referred to the hospital’s kidney transplant programme, saying that the 11 transplants conducted so far had brought encouraging results, with both recipients and donors doing well. He expressed hope that liver transplantation would also become possible in Tripura in the future.
Highlighting patient welfare measures, Saha said the government had introduced subsidised meals for patients and their attendants at ₹10 and inaugurated a 100-bed Bharat Mata Canteen-cum-Night Centre at GBP Hospital to address accommodation and basic needs.
He called upon healthcare professionals to maintain the newly developed facilities properly and make the best use of the available infrastructure and equipment.
“Development is a continuous process, and there is no end to the work that needs to be done. We must keep pace with technological advancement while ensuring that treatment remains affordable, accessible and of high quality,” Saha said.
Concluding his address, the Chief Minister extended his greetings to the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, staff and people of Tripura on the 66th Foundation Day of GBP Hospital. He expressed confidence that collective efforts would help build a modern, self-reliant and healthier Tripura.
Dr Saha was accompanied by MLA and Rogi Kalyan Samiti Chairperson Mina Rani Sarkar, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte, Additional Secretary and NHM Mission Director Saju Vaheed A, GBP Hospital’s MS Dr Bidhan Goswami, AGMC Principal Dr Tapan Majumder and others. Deputy MS Dr Kanak Chowdhury gave the vote of thanks.