Separate hospitals for 3 new medical colleges

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to build separate hospitals for the new medical colleges at Balasore, Balangir and Puri. The hi-tech hospitals are likely to be ready within next six months.
While construction of buildings for the medical colleges is underway, it was earlier decided that the existing district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) will be upgraded as per the norms of Medical Council of India (MCI).  
The Centre had approved establishment of five Government medical colleges and hospitals at Balasore, Koraput, Balangir, Baripada and Puri in 2014. It was announced that all five medical colleges would have student intake capacity of 100 each and around `200 crore would be spent for upgradation of the DHHs to a full-fledged medical college and hospital in each district.
While existing DHHs at Koraput and Baripada are being upgraded as per the MCI norms, it is not feasible to upgrade the hospitals of rest three districts, sources said.
Health Secretary Arti Ahuja said at a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary, it was decided that separate hospitals will be constructed for the medical colleges at Balasore, Puri and Balangir.
“The Works Department will prepare the estimate for these new hospitals on and without turn-key basis. The estimate for equipment, instruments and furniture (EIF) will be prepared separately,” she said.Though it has not been decided whether the construction work will be done on turn-key basis, the Works Department has been asked to submit the estimate on turn-key basis and also separate estimates for civil work and EIF by September 30.
Since the Government is willing to start admission in these new medical colleges next year, ideally the infrastructure should be ready by March next. The admission can only be possible after a team from MCI gives its nod following infrastructure inspection.    
While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the medical college at Balasore on October 28, 2014, the same at Puri and Balangir was done on July 4 and August 30 last year. The Government has also created posts for these medical institutions.

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