Patna, Feb. 24: When old friends meet, it is a time to celebrate and Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) — celebrating its 86th Foundation Day on February 25 — is decked up for the festival.

Over 2,000 doctors from India and abroad are expected to take part in the global alumni meet on the day.

“The alumni of PMCH — earlier known as Prince of Wales Medical College — will come together to celebrate the Foundation Day. Most of them have promised to contribute in some way or the other for the betterment of the college,” said Dr Jitendra Kumar Singh, the secretary of PMCH Alumni Association.

Dr N.K.P. Yadav, the principal of the sixth oldest medical college in the country, said the alumni meet is held every year on the Foundation Day but this year, for the first time, a global meet has been organised. About 125 NRI doctors along with 2000 doctors from across the country will take part in the meet.

“The preparations and run-up for the mega function have already started and events are being organised in the college auditorium everyday. A lot of cultural activities are being organised and meetings are being held to improve infrastructure and availability of resources in the college,” Yadav said.

“This time we are organising the meet in the college itself. This will not only be a get-together of those who have passed out from the college. We are interested to upgrade several departments of the hospital into super-speciality departments through public-private partnership model,” said Singh, who is also the director of Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna.

“PMCH has had a distinct identity always but over the past few years, the glory has somewhat faded. We, as its alumni, want to restore its pride and therefore we are here to support government in every possible way,” Singh added.

On Friday, Governor Devanand Konwar will inaugurate the programme while state health minister Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, health department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha, BJP state unit president C.P. Thakur will also be present on the occasion.

Manju Geeta Mishra, the president of the association and a renowned gynaecologist, said the alumni would also hold a general body meeting. A roadmap to provide specialised training to PMCH students would be prepared at the meeting.

“There is a scope of developing various departments of the college. Our effort will be to explore the possibility of utilising their assistance in the best possible way,” said Mishra.