PURI: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday took stock of the healthcare facilities in the pilgrim town in view of the Nabakalebar festival to be held next year.
He visited the district headquarters hospital (DHH) and held discussion with Chief District Medical Officer Gyanendra Sahoo and other doctors about the facilities that need to be augmented for the festival. He also inspected the indoor ward.
Speaking to mediapersons, Vardhan said the district headquarters hospital will be upgraded to a super-specialty hospital with a trauma care unit and infrastructure improved before the Nabakalebar.
Besides, all the six community health centres along the Puri-Bhubaneswar National Highway would be upgraded under the National Rural Health Mission. He also assured of taking up four-laning of Puri-Bhubaneswar NH with the ministry concerned for timely completion.
About the medical college and hospital at Puri, the Union Minister said construction work of the MCH would be expedited and the Ministry would make available all technical and financial assistance. Necessary steps would be taken to provide health services to the tourists who will visit the town in large number during the festival.
Vardhan was accompanied by District Magistrate Dhiren Pattnaik, BJP leaders Krushna Chandra Jagdeb and district BJP president Pravanjan Mahapatra.
Jagdeb submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister seeking augmentation of healthcare facilities in the town and expediting the opening of medical college.
Earlier in the day, Vardhan and his wife offered prayer to the Trinity in the temple.
Late on Saturday, the Union Minister called on Sankaracharya Swami Neeschalananda Saraswati at the Gobardhan mutt.