A district with high degrees of malaria, IMR, MMR and malnutrition, the State Government has begun to strengthen the health services through private-public partnership (PPP) mode in Keonjhar.
Some mining companies have come forward to join hands with the district administration in making the health services better in rural areas. In the presence of Health Minister Dr Damodar Rout on Wednesday, Essel Mining & Industries President PK Panda signed an MoU with Keonjhar Collector BP Sahoo to strengthen and upgrade the Barbil hospital.
“We propose to spend more than Rs 50 lakh for development of infrastructure, sanitation and health facilities in the Barbil Government Hospital,” Panda said.
Similarly, Gandhamardan Sponge Iron ltd (GSIl) operating the Putulipani mines in Banspal block signed an MoU with the district administration for better management of the Banspal Community Health Centre (CHC). “We will also see that all health facilities are improved in the hospital,” GSIl MD Dalu Agarwal assured.
ESSAR Steel also signed an MoU with the district administration for management of the Telkoi Community Health Centre under PPP mode. “We are already running an Industrial Training Centre for rural youths in Telkoi, and we are looking forward to improvement of health facilities there, Essar CEO Rajendra Mittal said.
More hospitals in rural areas would be linked with corporate houses interested for developing the health system, Keonjhar Collector Sahoo added.a