BHUBANESWAR: Deprived of quality healthcare services for decades, the KBK region of Odisha has finally got a Government medical college and hospital with the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry formally issuing the Letter of Permission (LoP) to the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital (SLNMCH) at Koraput.
The LoP allows the State Government to start admission for 100 seats in under-graduate course from 2017-18 academic session.This is the fourth Government medical college to be set up in the State after a gap of nearly 55 years. The MKCG Medical College was the last to be established at Berhampur in 1962. The VSS Medical College at Burla was established in 1959 while SCB Medical College at Cuttack was the first one to be set up in 1944.
The SLNMCH will cater to the needs of people in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Subarnapur, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts. Absence of quality health care forced people from the southern pockets to seek treatment in Andhra Pradesh or travel to Berhampur and Cuttack. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone of the college at Koraput on August 3, 2015.
Initially, the medical college was granted permission for an intake of 100 MBBS students. With this, the total number of medical seats in the State-run medical colleges has gone up to 850 which includes 100 seats of Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College at Baripada.
Medical superintendent of SLNMCH Dr Sitaram Mohapatra said infrastructure for the medical college has been developed over 25 acre of land adjacent to Koraput district headquarters hospital which has been upgraded to a 300-bed health facility.
“Besides, 53 ICU beds for intensive and critical care unit, surgery, paediatrics, central casualty, obstetrics and gynaecology also have been added. The infrastructure has been developed as per the stipulations prescribed by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The work is almost complete,” he said. Digital classrooms, auditorium, central library, hostels for students and doctors as well as staff quarters have also been constructed.
Aspirants who clear the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) can take admission in the medical college through counselling by Odisha joint entrance examination committee. While 85 per cent of the seats are secured for the State students, the rest will remain open for students from other States.
“Fifty faculty members including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, senior and junior resident doctors have been appointed besides both clinical and non-clinical staffs,” Dr Mohapatra added.
The State Government also expects the LoP for Baripada Medical College shortly as the Supreme Court mandated oversight committee to monitor functioning of MCI has already given its approval.
Healthcare measures
Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry issues Letter of Permission to the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital at Koraput
Admission for 100 seats in under-graduate course to start from 2017-18 academic session
4th Government medical college to be set up in the State after a gap of nearly 55 years
The medical college to cater to the needs of people in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Subarnapur, Kalahandi and Infrastructure has been developed over 25 acre of land adjacent to Koraput district headquarters hospital
85 pc of seats secured for the State students