Concern in Odisha Assembly over state of health services

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 13:

The Odisha Assembly witnessed a heated debate during the Question Hour today over the sorry state of affairs in government hospitals across the state.

Assembly

Members cutting across party lines alleged that patients were being made to incur unnecessary expenditure in government hospitals in the state.

Members demanded modernization of the Casualty department of the Capital Hospital, filling up of vacant posts of doctors in government hospitals and filling up of 258 vacant base level posts of doctors in the three government-run medical colleges in the state.

“I narrated in the House the state of affairs at the SCB Medical College, Acharya Harihar Cancer Institute and Capital Hospital. Let the honourable Health Minister tell the House if he can bring some order in health services. I feel there is no point in raising the issue here and waste the valuable time of the august House,” said Basant Panda, leader of the BJP legislature party.

Participating in the debate, ruling party member from Niali Dr Pramod Mallick sought the filling up of 258 base level vacancies in the posts of assistant professors in the three government-run medical colleges in the state.

In his reply, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told the House that patients were benefiting from the Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF).

The Minister informed the House that modernization of the Capital Hospital was underway and efforts were on to make it an institution for postgraduate studies adding that an administrative approval of Rs 82 crore has been received for improving its infrastructure.

“The government has a proposal for starting postgraduate studies in the Capital Hospital. A provision of Rs 82 crore meant for development of infrastructure at the hospital has already received administrative approval. Provision for the development of the Casualty department is part of this plan,” said Nayak in his reply.

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