The Gopabandhu Institute of Medical and Science and Research Centre at Madhabpur, about 7 km from here, was opened with an objective to cater to the need for better medical facilities to the poor, disabled and needy people, besides learning facilities for the doctors. It has a referral hospital and research facilities.
However, the institute looks far removed from its philanthropic mission and is concentrating on profit, alleged the locals.
The State Government has provided about 30 acres of land to the institute. Its organizer the ‘Servants of People Society’ has purchased more than five acres of land adjacent to the Government donated plot. The project cost of the research centre is Rs 100 crore.
To expand basic infrastructure in the first phase, an allotment of Rs 10 crore was made. It was also planned to develop a helipad inside its premises.
In 2002, the then Vice-President of India and president of Servants of People Society Krishnakant and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid its foundation stone. Subsequently with the active patronage of the then secretary of Servants of People Society Satyapal, its infrastructural works were developed with plans chalked out by New Delhi based designers. In 2009, a charitable hospital opened with the departments like Medicine, O & G, Paediatric, Radiology, Anaesthesia and Surgery by giving appointments to some local area retired doctors with a minimal payment. Then it opened a Nursing School and College for girls with a profit motive which is not desirable, said a local.
Since this institute is situated in a remote area, no outside patient could avail its treatment. Now a permanent member of the Servants of People Society is the project-in-charge of the institution.
Since there is chaos among the members of the Servants of People Society on managerial reasons, they have forgotten the mission of society’s founder lala lajpat Rai and founder of The Samaj Gopabandhu Dash. Intellectuals have urged the authority to concentrate on its philanthropic mission.