SHILLONG: In a New Year commitment to inclusive healthcare, Meghalaya Health Minister Weiladmiki Shylla has unveiled an ambitious roadmap aimed at narrowing the healthcare divide between urban centres and the state’s most remote rural areas.
Outlining key priorities for 2026, the Minister announced a major overhaul of rural health infrastructure through a new service model and provided a significant update on the long-awaited Tura Medical College.
Acknowledging that upgrading every Sub-Centre into a full-fledged Community Health Centre (CHC) would require enormous financial resources, the state government has introduced an innovative intermediate model called “PHC Plus.”
Under the new approach:
PHC Plus centres will function as upgraded Primary Health Centres, positioned between a PHC and a CHC.
These facilities will have more beds, additional doctors, and increased nursing staff compared to standard PHCs.
The model aims to deliver near-CHC level services at a significantly lower cost and within a shorter timeframe.
The Minister informed that several PHCs across the state have already been upgraded to PHC Plus status, with many more slated for conversion in the coming year.
Tura Medical College to Be Fully Government-Run
In a major policy shift, Shylla announced that the government has officially scrapped the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for the Tura Medical College.
“The medical college will now function entirely as a Government Medical College,” he said, adding that the physical infrastructure is nearing completion.
The primary challenge ahead, according to the Minister, is faculty recruitment. While acknowledging the nationwide shortage of qualified teaching doctors, he confirmed that the recruitment process is already underway to ensure the institution becomes operational at the earliest.
Reiterating his long-term vision, Shylla emphasised that access to quality healthcare must not be limited to urban populations.
“My goal from the very beginning has been to ensure that quality healthcare reaches the grassroots,” the Minister said. “Whether in the heart of the city or the most remote rural village, every citizen deserves the best possible medical services.”
With the introduction of the PHC Plus model and the transition of Tura Medical College to full government control, the Health Department aims to significantly strengthen Meghalaya’s public healthcare system in the years ahead.
