Shimla, Nov 23 (IANS) The Medical Council of India (MCI) has granted approval to the Himachal Pradesh government to increase the post-graduation course seats in the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH) here, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Monday.
“Twenty-three additional seats in the IGMCH have been sanctioned in post-graduation courses from this session by the MCI on the request of the state government. Now the college has 62 seats in post-graduation,” Dhumal told reporters.

“The seats have been increased for the first time since the inception of the IGMCH in 1979. Courses in pathology, pharmacology and forensic medicine would also be introduced in the IGMCH soon,” he said.

He said with the increase in the number of seats, the shortage of doctors in the state would overcome.

Himachal Pradesh is facing an acute shortage of doctors, especially specialists, particularly in tribal areas.

To tide over the problem, the government has already started taking the services of private practitioners.

Recently, the government has engaged private anaesthetists.

The government is also planning to rope in doctors from neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana.

The government has already increased the number of undergraduate seats at the IGMCH to 100 from 65.