Bhubaneswar: The state government has set a target to double the MBBS seats in Odisha in next five years.

This was revealed by Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling at the Health Conclave-2024 of Sambad Group here today.

“Now, Odisha has around 2,500 MBBS seats. The state government has set a target to raise the number to 5,000 in next five years,” said the Health Minister while highlighting the BJP government’s efforts to manage the shortage of doctors and paramedics in the state.

Mahaling further revealed that the state government has initiated measures to recruit 5,000 doctors and 3,000 health staff in the state very soon.

“Odisha had only three government medical colleges in the past. The fourth government medical college in the state was set up after a gap of 60 years. The BJP government at the Centre has introduced a policy to open a government medical college in each district of the country with 60:40 cost sharing with the states. Now, Odisha has 11 govt medical colleges and two such health institutes will be opened soon,” he said.

According to the minister, the state government is taking steps to launch postgraduation courses at all the newly-established medical colleges in Odisha. Each District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Odisha will have 400 beds, he said.

“The state government will soon implement the Centrally-sponsored Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in Odisha. Around 3.5 crore people of the state of the total 4.5 crore will be included under the Ayushman Bharat and state government-sponsored Gopabandhu health insurance schemes. The beneficiaries will get cashless treatment in around 27,000 hospitals across the country,” Mahaling added.

The state government has made all arrangements for opening Aarogya Mandir in each gram panchayat of Odisha. Yoga teachers and other health staff will be appointed for these Aarogya Mandirs. Steps are being taken to vaccinate all girls in the age group of 9 to 14 against cervical cancer, said the Minister.