ADB approves $398.8 million loan to upgrade three medical college hospitals in Assam

Guwahati: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $398.8 million loan to support Assam transform its health care and medical education systems by upgrading three medical college hospitals.

Under the Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project, the state seeks to upgrade the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) into a state-of-the-art super-specialty facility and upgrade Assam Medical College and Hospital and Silchar Medical College and Hospital, creating a network of centers of excellence under Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences.

“Assam’s health system faces critical gaps, with high maternal and infant mortality and severe shortages in tertiary care,” said a statement quoting ADB Country Director for India Mio Oka. “This investment by ADB will modernise tertiary health care facilities, expand access to resilient health systems, and position Assam as an affordable medical destination for the wider region and neighboring countries.”

Key project components include modernising GMCH with climate-and disaster-resilient, gender-responsive infrastructure and digital hospital systems; and upgrading medical education through smart classrooms, simulation-based training, and curriculum reforms that integrate gender and climate considerations, the statement said.

In addition, the project would strengthen institutional capacity by establishing centers of excellence, promoting research, forming gender equality groups, facilitating private sector participation in hospital services, and developing a medical tourism strategy, it added.

"The project also emphasises gender-responsive and socially inclusive health care, including building a one-stop crisis center at GMCH for survivors of gender-based violence. At least 500 women and girls are expected to benefit from these services," said the ADB statement.