Members of the Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) on Tuesday appealed to the Odisha Governor to pave the way for the State Government to take over the private Hi-Tech medical college and hospital (MCH).
A delegation of RDCC led by president Nihar Ray handed over a memorandum addressed to the Governor to Rourkela ADM RN Mishra. They urged the Governor to intervene in Government take-over of the medical college without further delay in view of its failure in ensuring cheap and quality health care to poor patients and better education to medical students.
Ray said the government wrongfully promoted the private hospital by handing over Rs 10 crore from Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) and 25 acres of land of the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH). He said the questionable decision of the government has now begun to yield adverse results as the partially completed MCH is in shambles. Besides, patients are forced to dole out ` 250 as consultation fee in violation of norms.
Ray said the fate of 200 medical students also hang in balance in absence of quality faculty members. Chairman of Bigyan Bharati Charitable Trust Tirupati Panigrahi, who set up the MCH, is languishing in jail on multiple counts of forgery. The memorandum also pointed out that due to lack of surplus space, future growth of the RGH has been hampered and it is facing difficulty to expand despite huge allocation of NRHM funds. The memorandum stated that as the MCH has failed to abide by the agreement signed with the Government, the latter should take control of it in larger interest of public.
The RDCC delegation also lodged a complaint with the ADM alleging violation of election code of conduct as BJD members on Tuesday held a demonstration in front of the ADM office seeking special category status for the State.