The agitation by the Jai Bheem Ghasi Samaj has entered the ninth day on Sunday pressing for the demand to run the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) from its old building at Mangalbazar.
They held a 12-hour Jharsuguda bandh on Saturday, alleging death of a nine-month child due to negligence of doctors and action against the errant.
On the other hand, the strike by sanitation workers in Jharsuguda has created an unhygienic situation all around the industrial town.
Keeping in view the enormity of the situation, the Jharsuguda district BJD unit has requested the agitators to come for a discussion.
In a press meet held on Saturday here, the BJD leaders informed that necessary action has been initiated by the State Government to operate the old Mangalbazar hospital.
It has been decided to convert the hospital to an Integrated CHC. A tender process has been initiated for a 100- bed hospital on PPP mode, they informed.
As per the directions of the Health Department and decisions of a High Power Committee, five doctors with necessary support staff are being posted at the hospital on a priority basis to provide qualitative health services. It has also been decided to set up a trauma care unit in the hospital in near future.
Senior BJD leaders Tapas Kumar Rai Choudhary and Sandeep Awasthi assured that these problems would be sorted out as local MLA Naba Kishore Das has become the State Health Minister, now.
However, another BJD leader Raghumani Patel requested all to work together for the development of health services in the town. Former Chairman of Jharsuguda Municipality Harish Ganatra, Raju Panigrahi, Pratap Nanda and Suresh Lokchandani were present, among others.