Odisha to set up additional 102 digital dispensaries

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to set up additional 102 digital dispensaries in 23 districts for better delivery of affordable healthcare service in difficult-to-reach areas in the State.

State’s Health and Family Welfare Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kolkata-based Glocal Healthcare Systems (P) Ltd. for 23 districts for Operation and Management of 102 Digital Dispensaries in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at State Secretariat today afternoon.

“I am happy to announce that this model is being up-scaled to another 102 dispensaries across 23 districts of the State. This will bring primary health services to the doorsteps of the people in difficult-to-reach areas of the State, helping in fulfilling our vision of a healthy and happy Odisha,” the CM said.

The districts where the digital dispensaries will come up are Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Cuttack, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam,  Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh, an official statement said.

The digital dispensary centres will function as an OPD with virtual consultation with doctors through video and facility for basic laboratory test and medication dispensing, to deliver quality primary healthcare free of cost to the patients.

The dispensaries are equipped with minimum set of investigations such as routine testing of urine, blood, haemoglobin, blood sugar, malaria, dengue, BP, ECG, sPO2 and pregnancy detection and a Pharmacy facility with dispensing of Generic Medicine. All these services are provided free of cost to the people, under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.

In the pilot phase, the project was implemented in 25 locations of Nabarangpur district and five locations of Keonjhar district, in partnership with Glocal Healthcare Systems (P) Ltd. Till date, over one lakh patients have availed services from these digital dispensaries, the release added.

Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, Development Commissioner Asit Tripathy, Secretary and other officials of the Health Department were present at the occasion.