“Finally, a medical college in Wayanad,” cheers Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on 3 September, expressed joy over the decision to establish a medical college in Wayanad, calling it the fulfilment of a long-pending demand by the people of the hill constituency. In a social media post, she credited the development to the consistent efforts of former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and the support of lakhs of local residents.

“Thrilled to know that finally, the dream of a medical college in Wayanad is going to be a reality. The earnest requests of lakhs of people of Wayanad, sustained efforts by Shri Rahul Gandhi and all our own efforts to expedite the matter have borne fruit,” she posted on X [former Twitter].

She also urged the state government to accelerate the construction process.

“My sincere thanks to all concerned for hearing our pleas and taking a most welcome step in the direction of robust healthcare for the citizens of Wayanad. I hope the state government will take all necessary steps to expedite the work and make it functional at the earliest,” she added.

The announcement comes months after Rahul Gandhi had assured during the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll campaign that a fully equipped medical college would be established in the region. On 3 November 2024, while addressing a rally in Areekode, Malappuram district, he said, “We will personally build one of the best medical colleges in the country in this constituency.”

Gandhi had made this promise while campaigning for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the UDF candidate for the by-poll. He emphasised his strong emotional connection with Wayanad, stating that the people of the constituency had supported him during politically challenging times.

“It’s not easy for me to leave Wayanad, because I got tremendous love and affection from all the people here. When I was being attacked relentlessly and campaigns were launched against me, the people of Wayanad stood by me,” he had said at the time.

The demand for a medical college has been a major election issue in Wayanad, which faces infrastructural challenges, particularly in the healthcare sector. The need has been recognised by all major political fronts, including the Congress-led UDF, CPI(M)-led LDF and the BJP.

In a significant step forward, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted approval for two government medical colleges — one in Wayanad and another in Kasaragod — with an intake of 50 MBBS students each.

Kerala health minister Veena George confirmed that both colleges have met the infrastructure and academic standards required by the NMC. The state government aims to complete all necessary formalities and begin student admissions in the current academic year.

At the Wayanad medical college, a multipurpose block worth Rs 45 crore has been commissioned, and a nursing college with 60 seats is already operational.

To support academic activities, the government created and filled 140 posts, including 115 teaching and 25 non-teaching positions. A modern mortuary complex costing Rs 2.3 crore and a cath lab built at Rs 8.23 crore have also been set up. A cardiology department and paediatric ICU are already functional.

Significantly, the college has established Kerala’s first sickle cell unit, which recently performed Wayanad’s first hip replacement surgery on a sickle cell patient.

Additionally, the facility has introduced e-health and e-office systems, and completed an oxygen generator plant valued at Rs 20.61 lakh.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier criticised the Centre’s lack of support during natural calamities in the region. “You saw that the Prime Minister of India came to Wayanad..., but he did not really support Wayanad financially,” he said, referring to the area’s vulnerability to landslides and floods.

The Wayanad parliamentary constituency comprises seven assembly segments — Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district, Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district, and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.

The by-election was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat, opting to retain Rae Bareli, the other constituency he won during the 2024 general elections. Gandhi Vadra, campaigning to take over the constituency from him during the by-polls, won with a larger margin than his 3.6 lakh — and took over the campaigning with the Centre to sanction both landslide relief and the college.

With PTI, IANS inputs