Even as plans have already been made to increase the number of beds and provide quality health service at the City Hospital here, lack of required land area remains to be the main hurdle in the process of development.
According to a source, Rs 40 crore came from the National Health Mission has been returned without being utilised.
While the number of patients, particularly pregnant women, visiting the hospital is increasing by the day, the apathetic attitude of the district administration in restoring hospital land has pained denizens.
While a portion of hospital land has been gifted to the Biju Patnaik Homeopathy College for construction of a girls’ hostel, a part of land has been kept under possession of the Finance Department. Similarly, an Aahar Kendra has been built by ravaging the Assistant District Medical Officer’s office behind the hospital.
Similarly, a portion of land, which was identified for expansion of Eye Department, has been handed over to the Rehabilitation Centre for the Physically Handicapped. Interestingly, the Mardaraj Vending Zone stands on the Health Department land in front of the MKCG Medical College Hospital without any permission, said District Medical Officer Dr Manoj Behera.
While the Central aide has been returned due to lack of land, the district administration looks uninterested in restoring Health Department land for development of the hospital, alleged many.
Though Health Minister Pratap Jena recently visited the MKCG Medical College Hospital recently, he didn’t give a look at the problems of the City Hospital to which about 30 pregnant women visit daily.
locals have demanded that the State Government should bring back all land for development of the City Hospital at the earliest.