While the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) programme covers the rural areas of the nation, the Union Health Ministry has decided to include the urban areas of the State with a population above 50,000 under a similar programme.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the presence of Health Minister Damodar Rout, Minister of Higher Education Badri Narayan Patra and Minister of Industries Niranjan Pujari launched the Urban Health Mission for Keonjhar and Barbil towns at a function held at the stadium here on Wednesday.
Besides the launching of the Health Mission, the Health Minister also declared expansion of 50 beds for patients in the Anandpur and Keonjhar hospitals. The Chief Minister also flagged off the 14 ambulances provided to the district under the 108 Ambulance scheme.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of a 650-bed hospital and medical college at Kronjahr. Besides, he laid the foundation for a 100-bed girls’ hostel in the DD College campus.