Incentive for Odisha docs working in remote areas to be doubled

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 22:

Health and Family Welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak on Saturday announced in the State Assembly that the incentive for doctors working in the remote areas of Odisha would be doubled.

Replying to the questions by members cutting across party lines on poor health services in the remote areas of the state during the discussion on demands for grants of the Health department in the 2015-16 budget, the minister said these remote areas would be classified into four segments to ensure uninterrupted health services.

Stating that none of the government hospitals will go without a doctor, he said the government has decided to post at least one doctor in each Public Health Centre (PHC) and Community Health Centre (CHC) of the state.

“The government will come up with a new transfer policy for doctors. Doctors who have been working in the remote areas will be transferred and will be given a choice of three places for their next posting. The exercise will be completed by the next transfer season,” he added.

The minister also said that the AYUSH doctors would be would be appointed in government hospitals while a decision has been taken to open 48 new PHCs and CHCs in urban areas to provide health services to the poor and needy.

He said in view of the rising number of patients, the number of beds in the Acharya Harihar Cancer Research Institute in Cuttack would be raised from 281 to 500.

Besides, steps would be taken for diagnosis of cancer at the PHC level in the first phase for which a budget allocation of Rs 3.5 crore has been made, he added.

Referring to the free distribution of medicines to poor patients at the CHC level from May this year, Nayak said the state government has allocated Rs 202.56 crore for the Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC) which would supply free medicines to these CHCs.

Besides, the government would also set up mobile health services for the people living in urban slums, the minister pointed out.

Nayak also said that the state government has earmarked Rs 50 crore in its health budget to bring down maternal and infant mortality in the state. It has also decided to purchase 200 Ambulance vans to provide quick health services to the ailing mothers and children.

Apart from this, it has been decided to provide free blood to mothers, BPL families and patients suffering from thalassemia, he informed the House.

Dismissing Opposition allegation of step-motherly treatment to VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla, Nayak said steps have been taken to grant more autonomy to the medical college for recruitment of doctors.

Replying to a question on the setting up of five new medical colleges and hospitals in the state, Nayak said the tendering for construction of these five new medical colleges is over of which the L&T Company has already started construction of three medical colleges.

“The state government has made a budget allocation of Rs 595 crore for construction of these new medical colleges”, he added.