Chennai: The Centre has awarded the National Quality Assurance Certificate to five government medical college hospitals in Tamil Nadu for their outstanding performance in patient care, medical documentation, and overall healthcare standards.

The National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification is given by the Union Health Ministry to hospitals that excel in 10 key parameters, including patient care, treatment improvement, and infection control.

The hospitals that received the award are Omandurar Government Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, and government medical colleges in Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Theni, and Kanyakumari.

The certificates were presented to Public Health and Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian by the respective college principals at a function held at the Omandurar campus here.

Speaking on the occasion, Subramanian said, “In the last four-and-a-half years, the Public Health Department has bagged 1,600 awards from the Central government. The recognition of five medical colleges with NQAS certification is a proud moment. I thank everyone who worked for this achievement.”

Director of Medical Education and Research, Dr. R. Theranirajan, said the certification aims to maintain high-quality standards in medical institutions nationwide. “Earlier, individual departments of both private and government hospitals received this recognition. For the first time, five government medical colleges in the state have achieved it simultaneously,” he said.

He added that efforts are underway to ensure all medical college hospitals in Tamil Nadu secure the NQAS certification in the future.