ROURKELA: After being neglected for more than two decades, Utkalmani Homoeopathy Medical College and Hospital (UHMCH) has received a boost in terms of staff and infrastructure.
Four Readers of the institute have been promoted as professors. The step comes after frequent whipping from Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) and protests by the students besides consistent efforts by the college and district administration.
The institute was set up privately in 1975 and taken over by the State Government in 1994. But, the 25-bed Indoor Patient Department (IPD) started functioning from February 2016, almost 22 years after the takeover. The IPD on an average receives 15 patients.
A few months ago, the 100-seat women’s hostel constructed at a cost of `3 crore was inaugurated to house 94 girls after removing encroachment on 2.5 acre while the administration assured to allot another 1.9 acre. Three months back, physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, pathology and pharmacy laboratories were inaugurated for practical classes, while Rs 57.37 lakh was sanctioned for building infrastructure and `8 lakh for procurement of medical instruments and furniture.
Principal Dr Gyan Ranjan Giri said, the Directorate of AYUSH and local administration are extending overwhelming support as plans are afoot to build boys hostel, staff quarters and a medicinal plant garden.
Four of the seven existing Readers are elevated as professors, a retired Reader is posted on contract, two more teachers have joined on deployment and four more regular lecturers are likely to join, said the
Principal. Dr Giri said, 13 allopathic post-graduate doctors have also been roped in to take classes in allied subjects and the institute hopes to get two staff nurses and one ultrasolologist for the IPD.
For more exposure, third and fourth year medical students are getting bedside classes at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) for three hours a day and for the first time three girl students received the prestigious Research Fellowship assignment from Central Council of Homeopathy Research, Dr Giri added.
Prof Anil Kumar Mishra of the institute hoped that with the present improvement and sustained efforts of the management, UHMCH would excel both on academic and treatment fronts. Ideally 23 regular faculty members are required, but the institute has only eight, said Students’ Welfare Committee president Subrata Mahanta and demanded additional building infrastructure and laboratories for IPD.