The State Government is committed to provide quality healthcare free of cost to people by adopting a new Health Policy and Vision 2025 soon.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das said this while inaugurating a two-day Chief District Medical Officers’ (CDMOs) meeting here on Wednesday. He asked the CDMOs to gather suggestions from general people, particularly from villagers, for framing of the policy.
“To expedite development in health services in the State, 100 days’ programmes will be executed and public health will be the priority at all hospitals from Dispensary to the medical college and hospitals,” said the Minister.
While some new medical colleges have already been set up, construction works for some proposed ones are underway. Thus, more numbers of doctors would be produced and the State would have surplus doctors in near future, Das told the CDMOs.
He said as many as 15 new schemes are being implemented in the State to fulfil the Chnef Minister’s dream of “Sustha Odisha, Sukhi Odisha” (Healthy Odisha, Happy Odisha). He advised the CDMOs to make strict and coordinated efforts so that people can get results of the schemes.
“No one will be deprived of a free treatment as the Chief Minister has stressed for healthcare for all,” Das said, adding that 70 lakh families have already been covered under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), which has been appreciated at the national and international levels.
Reiterating thrust on healthcare in villages, he said that establishment and strengthening of “Health and Wellness Centres” in villages and gram panchayats would help people a lot.
He said the Government has already started help desk in all GPs for Fast Referral Centres in all public health institutions for extending the facilities.
National Health Mission Director Manoj Kumar Jhilani hailed the measures taken under the mission to fight out malaria in the State. He talked to all district Collectors through videoconferencing on various NHM programmes. He advised them to adopt district-level awards in the field of prevention of diseases.
In his key-note address, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda highlighted healthcare system available in the State and various achievements.
NHM Managing Director Shalini Pandit delivered the welcome address.
Later, reviews and discussions were held on various programmes run by the NHM and the State Government such as “BSKY, Niramaya, Sunetra, Sahaya and Nirmal and immunization and prevention of non-contagious diseases.