ROURKELA: With the Centre apparently not willing to set up Odisha’s second AIIMS at the newly-constructed NTPC Medical College and Hospital (NTPC MCH) in Sundargarh town, the State government has belatedly decided to run the facility and start admission from 2022-23 academic session.
In an order on July 5, the Health and Family Welfare department has appointed the district medical officer (Medical Services) and superintendent of Sundargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) Dr PK Sahu as the additional superintendent-cum-nodal officer of the MCH. Earlier on June 25, the department had authorised the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) to file an application with the National Medical Commission for establishment of the MCH from academic year 2022-23.
The MCH is going to be a reality after the inordinate delay since NTPC announced it in October, 2010. Three years later, the State government and NTPC signed an MoU in December 2013. As per the agreement, NTPC set up the MCH infrastructure and the government will run it.
After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid its foundation in, 2014, the MCH was targeted to operate from 2016-17 academic session. However for various reasons, the project got delayed and after completion in 2020, it was used as a Covid hospital.
In November last year, the then Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy had moved the second AIIMS proposal to the Centre stating that the MCH, built at a cost of `418 crore, has provisions for 500 beds and 100 MBBS seats. In March this year, a team from AIIMS had visited the facility but its recommendations were not made public.
BJP MP from Sundargarh Jual Oram reiterated his earlier statement that the State’s recommendation for second AIIMS at Sundargarh was intended for political mileage. If the State government admits to its inability of running the MCH, then the Centre would think about it, he said and added that MCHs in Odisha are in pathetic condition.
Chief district medical and public health officer Dr SK Mishra said appointment of principal, deans and other staff in the MCH would take place next. After the MCH becomes functional, it would ensure advance healthcare to a vast tribal population of the region.
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