Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday directed the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) Department to set up a Health University in order to ensure quality education and health services in the State. Patnaik while reviewing the performance of the H&FW Department said, “Since many medical colleges and health institutes are being set up in the State it is pertinent to set up a Health University to streamline quality education and healthcare services in medical colleges and hospitals.”
It was informed in the meeting that hospitals would be set up in all 30 districts in PPP mode, which would provide medical facilities at affordable prices. It was also informed in the meeting that work of the five proposed medical colleges would be started soon while Rs 143 crore would be spent to develop the Capital Hospital into a PG Institute. Focusing on universalisation of health insurance scheme, Patnaik directed the officials to include farmers, slum dwellers, primitive tribes and unorgansied sector labourers under the scheme.
It was also informed in the meeting that the by the end of October the Niramaya yojana would be extended to all types of Government hospitals while a grievance helpline 104 would be launched for better implementation of the free-drug distribution scheme. 57 more ‘102’ and 92 ‘108’ ambulances would be engaged soon. Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Chief Secretary GC Pati and Development Commissioner UN Behera attended the meeting.