Guwahati: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $398.8 million loan to support Assam in transforming its health care and medical education systems, marking one of the most significant investments in the state’s tertiary health infrastructure.
Under the Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project, the government will modernise Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) into a state-of-the-art super-speciality centre and upgrade Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh and Silchar Medical College and Hospital.
Together, these upgraded institutions will form a network of centres of excellence under the 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 ADB Country Director for India Mio Oka. “This investment will modernise tertiary care facilities, expand access to resilient health systems, and position Assam as an affordable medical destination for the wider region and neighbouring countries.”
The project includes climate- and disaster-resilient, gender-responsive expansions at GMCH, the introduction of advanced digital hospital systems, and major upgrades to medical education infrastructure—ranging from smart classrooms and simulation-based training to curriculum reforms that integrate gender and climate perspectives.
Strengthening institutional capacity is another key component. The project will establish specialised centres of excellence, promote research, set up gender equality groups, encourage private sector participation in hospital services, and develop a medical tourism strategy to enhance Assam’s regional positioning.
A strong emphasis has also been placed on gender-responsive and socially inclusive care. GMCH will host a one-stop crisis centre for survivors of gender-based violence.
The initiative aims to make quality tertiary health care accessible and affordable for all citizens of Assam. It focuses on three major outcomes. The first outcome is enhanced quality and resilience of tertiary care facilities, with strong attention to affordability, inclusion, and gender responsiveness.
The second outcome is improved availability and quality of human resources for health (HRH) through better training systems and digital learning tools. The third outcome is strengthened state systems for tertiary care and medical education, including research, ongoing needs assessments, and institutionalised capacity-building mechanisms.
According to ADB’s sector assessment, Assam continues to face significant gaps despite Vision 2030 and various central and state initiatives. These include inadequate tertiary care infrastructure—particularly in Guwahati, the region’s key medical hub—shortages of qualified specialists and pharmacists, and insufficient institutional systems for research, partnerships, and continuous learning.
The state government has sought ADB’s support to bridge these gaps and build a modern, resilient, and inclusive medical education and tertiary healthcare ecosystem for Assam.
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