Arunachal Inducts 72 Specialists, Plans Kidney Transplant Facility at TRIHMS
Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the new specialists will strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in remote areas, as Arunachal also prepares to introduce transplant services and postgraduate medical courses. 3. Tags
ITANAGAR- Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday felicitated and presented appointment orders to 72 successful candidates of the Medical Specialist Recruitment Examination-2026, describing their induction as an important step towards strengthening specialised healthcare services across the state.
The appointment of the 72 specialists comes as the state government seeks to reduce gaps in specialist healthcare, particularly for people living in remote and underserved areas. Khandu said recruitment of specialists along with hundreds of other healthcare personnel in recent years has helped the government almost fill the manpower gap in the state’s health system, although some vacancies remain.
Despite the latest recruitment, the state continues to have vacancies in the specialist and general medical officer categories.
Khandu said 35 specialist posts at TRIHMS, 61 specialist posts in government hospitals across the state and 79 GDMO posts are still vacant and will be filled shortly.
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The Chief Minister also appreciated the newly appointed specialists for choosing government service, noting that recruitment advertisements have sometimes received limited response from specialist doctors.
Khandu said the government’s broader objective is to ensure that patients do not have to travel outside Arunachal Pradesh for treatment that can be provided within the state.
Arunachal Pradesh currently has 6 Zonal Hospitals, 17 District Hospitals, 57 Community Health Centres, 162 Primary Health Centres and 647 Sub-Health Centres, according to the Chief Minister.
Given the state’s vast and difficult terrain, he stressed that healthcare infrastructure must be supported by adequate manpower at every level.
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He emphasised that a patient in a remote village should have the same right to quality healthcare as a resident of Itanagar or another urban centre. The newly appointed specialists were urged to view their postings as opportunities to serve communities that may have waited years for access to specialised medical care.
The government is also expanding the capabilities of Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Arunachal Pradesh‘s lone medical college.
TRIHMS began functioning in 2017 with 50 MBBS seats. Its intake has since increased to 100 MBBS seats, while the state government plans to introduce MD and MS specialist courses shortly.
A major proposed development is the introduction of organ transplantation at TRIHMS in collaboration with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
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The installation of an Organ Perfusion System is already underway, with the facility initially planned to begin with kidney transplantation. The government expects the service to strengthen tertiary healthcare capacity and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the state for advanced treatment.
The state has also launched the Chief Minister’s Organ Transplant Scheme (CMOTS) under the Chief Minister’s Organ Transplant Society.
The scheme provides enhanced financial assistance of up to:
- ₹12 lakh for kidney transplants
- ₹17 lakh for bone marrow transplants
- ₹22 lakh for liver transplants
The government says the expanded assistance is intended to reduce the financial burden on families requiring expensive, life-saving transplant procedures.
The government is also working towards establishing two additional medical colleges.
One is proposed at Namsai under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with construction scheduled to begin during the current year. Discussions are also underway for another medical college in West Kameng district.
According to Khandu, expanding medical education institutions will help create a larger pool of doctors and healthcare professionals while improving access to quality medical services across the state.
The Medical Specialist Recruitment-2026 process began with an advertisement issued on April 13, 2026. Of the 117 applications received, 116 candidates qualified for the viva voce, which was conducted from June 22 to 29. Following the selection process, 72 candidates were recommended for appointment.
Khandu appreciated the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) for conducting the recruitment through what he described as a transparent, merit-based and time-bound process.
He linked the state’s healthcare expansion with the broader goal of building a Viksit Arunachal by 2047, saying a strong and accessible healthcare system would be a key pillar of that vision.
The Chief Minister also urged the newly appointed doctors to maintain high standards of professionalism, empathy and accountability, stressing that patients should be treated with dignity irrespective of their social or economic background. He further emphasised teamwork among doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, pharmacists and other healthcare workers.
