ITANAGAR : Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday felicitated and presented Orders of Appointment to 72 successful candidates of the Medical Specialist Recruitment (MSR) Examination-2026, describing their induction as a major step towards strengthening specialist healthcare services across Arunachal Pradesh.
Khandu said appointment of the 72 specialist doctors, along with the recruitment of hundreds of personnel in other categories including General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs), nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists in recent years, has helped the State Government almost fill the manpower gap in its healthcare system. A few vacancies remain and will be filled shortly.
“The induction of these specialists will enhance the availability of specialised medical services across the State, particularly benefiting people living in remote and underserved areas,” the Chief Minister said.
He informed that 35 vacancies of specialist doctors at TRIHMS, 61 specialist vacancies in government hospitals across the State and 79 vacancies of GDMOs are still to be filled.
He appreciated the newly appointed specialist doctors for opting government service as he lamented that despite repeated advertisements, few specialist doctors turn up for recruitment.
Khandu said the government’s objective is to ensure that people do not have to travel outside Arunachal Pradesh for treatment that can be provided within the State.
“Our aim should be that all kinds of treatment should be available to our people within the State,” he said.
Highlighting the scale of the State’s public healthcare network, Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh currently has 6 Zonal Hospitals, 17 District Hospitals, 57 Community Health Centres (CHCs), 162 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 647 Sub-Health Centres.
For a geographically vast and difficult terrain like Arunachal Pradesh, he said, strengthening healthcare infrastructure and ensuring adequate manpower at every level was particularly important.
“A patient in a remote village should have the same right to quality healthcare as someone living in Itanagar or any other urban centre,” Khandu said, stressing that the Government’s focus is not merely on expanding infrastructure but ensuring that specialised healthcare reaches the last mile.
He urged the newly appointed specialists to view their postings not merely as places of employment but as opportunities to serve communities that may have waited for years for access to specialist medical care.
The Chief Minister highlighted the progress of the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), the State’s lone medical college, which began functioning in 2017 with 50 MBBS seats.
Three batches of MBBS students have already passed out, he said, adding that the intake was increased to 100 MBBS seats from last year.
Khandu said the admission ratio at TRIHMS, which initially provided 65 per cent reservation for APST candidates and 35 per cent for students from the rest of India, has now been revised to 85 per cent reservation for local students, providing greater opportunities for aspiring medical students of Arunachal Pradesh.
He further announced that MD and MS specialist courses would be introduced at TRIHMS shortly, further strengthening the State’s capacity for postgraduate medical education and specialist manpower generation.
In a significant development, Khandu said the state government, in collaboration with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, is working towards starting organ transplant facilities at TRIHMS.
The process for installation of an Organ Perfusion System at TRIHMS is already underway, he said, adding that the facility would initially commence with kidney transplantation.
The initiative, he said, would represent a major advancement in the State’s tertiary healthcare capabilities and reduce the need for patients to travel outside Arunachal for advanced treatment.
Further strengthening the State’s support for patients requiring organ and other major transplants, the Chief Minister informed the Government has launched the Chief Minister’s Organ Transplant Scheme (CMOTS) under the Chief Minister’s Organ Transplant Society.
The scheme significantly broadens the scope of medical assistance by extending financial support beyond kidney transplantation to bone marrow and liver transplants as well.
Under CMOTS, the State Government will provide enhanced financial assistance of up to Rs 12 lakh for kidney transplants, Rs 17 lakh for bone marrow transplants and Rs 22 lakh for liver transplants.
Khandu said the initiative would provide substantial financial relief to families facing the high cost of life-saving transplant procedures and further strengthen the State’s commitment to ensuring access to advanced medical care.
The Chief Minister informed that the State Government is also working towards establishing two more medical colleges.
One medical college is proposed at Namsai under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with construction scheduled to begin within the current year. Discussions are also underway for establishing the third medical college in West Kameng district, he said.
Khandu said expansion of medical education institutions would create a larger pool of doctors and healthcare professionals while simultaneously improving access to quality healthcare across the State.
The Chief Minister congratulated all 72 successful candidates and their parents, families, teachers and mentors for their achievement.
He particularly appreciated the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) for conducting the Medical Specialist Recruitment-2026 through a transparent, merit-based and time-bound process.
The recruitment process commenced with the advertisement issued on 13 April 2026. Of the 117 applications received, 116 candidates qualified for the viva voce, which was conducted from 22 to 29 June 2026. Following the selection process, 72 candidates were recommended for appointment.
Khandu said the transparent recruitment process reflected the Government’s commitment to ensuring that qualified professionals get an equal and merit-based opportunity to serve the people.
Linking healthcare development with the broader vision of national and State development, Khandu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, and Arunachal Pradesh aspires to achieve a Viksit Arunachal by 2047.
He said a strong and accessible healthcare system would be one of the most important pillars of this vision.
“Healthcare is one of the most significant pillars of a Viksit Arunachal. Our focus must be to build a system where our people can access quality treatment within the State itself,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Government would continue investing in healthcare infrastructure, human resources, technology and specialised services to make the State’s health system stronger, more responsive, accessible and future-ready.
He also urged the newly appointed doctors to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, empathy and accountability, reminding them that medicine is ultimately a service rooted in compassion and trust.
“A good doctor treats a disease. A great doctor also understands the person who is suffering,” Khandu said, urging the specialists to treat every patient with dignity irrespective of social or economic background.
The Chief Minister also emphasised teamwork among doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, pharmacists and other healthcare workers, saying that the quality of healthcare ultimately depends on the people who operate the system.
