Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Inaugurates Teaching Hospitals, Marks Milestone in Healthcare Sector

Bhubaneswar: In a significant development for the health education and healthcare sector in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated teaching hospitals in five government medical colleges and laid the foundation for the transformation of four medical colleges in the state. The inauguration ceremony witnessed the Chief Minister dedicating 650-bedded Bhima Bhoi Medical College & Hospital in Balangir, 650-bedded Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College & Hospital in Baripada, 500-bed Government Medical College and Hospital in Sundargarh, 500-bed Dharani Dhar Medical College and Hospital in Keonjhar, and 650-bedded Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore.

Furthermore, the foundation stones were laid for enhancing the infrastructure of Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, Medical College at Cuttack, MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur, Rourkela Government Hospital, and Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Institute at Burla.

These initiatives aim to elevate the healthcare facilities and services in Odisha and contribute to the vision of ‘Sustha Odisha Sukhi Odisha’ (Healthy Odisha, Happy Odisha).

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik emphasized the historic significance of the day in Odisha’s healthcare sector. The inauguration of teaching hospitals across five medical colleges adds a total of 2,950 beds, reflecting the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure. The Chief Minister highlighted the government’s investment of more than Rs 2,000 crore in these initiatives, benefiting regions from Balangir to Baripada, Sundargarh to Keonjhar, and Balasore.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shared insights into the transformative journey of the healthcare sector in Odisha, noting that only three government medical colleges were present in the state initially. Over the last six years, the government has established eight new medical colleges and two post-graduate institutes, with plans for three more medical colleges in the future. The recruitment of doctors and paramedic staff has seen significant growth, with a substantial increase in the availability of MBBS doctors and specialists.

Under the 5T initiatives, Chief Minister Patnaik highlighted the transformation of hospitals into ‘AMA Hospitals’ for the benefit of the people. Additionally, the foundation laid for the transformation of AHPGIC Cuttack, MKCG MCH Berhampur, VIMSAR Burla, and RGH Rourkela into world-class hospitals is set to elevate healthcare services further. The Chief Minister announced an investment of over Rs 3,400 crore for this transformative healthcare project.