Puri: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated the Shri Jagannath Medical College & Hospital (SJMCH) here in presence of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Secretary to CM V K Pandian and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
The medical college has been established jointly by the Union and State Governments. The medical college has the capacity for admitting 100 MBBS students annually. The academic year of the first batch of the college also commenced today.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, “This is a historic day for Puri district. I hope that, with the efforts of the teachers and students, this institution will get a great name in serving the people of Puri.”
It is heartening to know that the students from the poorest sections have got into the medical college. Especially, the students from the government schools have got the admissions due to the 15 per cent reservation policy of the State government, he said.
He noted that “a long dream of establishing a medical college in Puri has been fulfilled today”. The Chief Minister wished the students on the start of their first day in the medical course and thanked the Union Minister for his support in establishing the medical college.
Expressing his elation at the event, Mr.Mandaviya, who was on VC, said that the hospital will play a pivotal role in training doctors and providing good medical facilities to the people of Odisha.
He interacted with the students who will be part of the inaugural batch of the hospital and motivated them to work hard and serve in the remotest corners of the country so that healthcare can reach to the last mile.
The Health Minister highlighted that the vision of New India as envisaged by the Prime Minister is to make healthcare accessible and affordable for all people.
He further requested the Chief Minister to integrate Ayushman Bharat Yojana with the existing state health facilities to further improve the access to healthcare in India.
The SJMCH is part of five medical colleges built under Phase-I of the scheme for ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’.
All the hospitals under the scheme have been built at an approved cost of Rs 945 crore with 60 per cent contribution (Rs 567 crore) from the Centre. With the inauguration of this institution, all five medical colleges have become functional now.
Overall, there has been a 55 per cent increase in medical seats in the State from 387 in 2013-14 to 596 in 2020-21.
Under Phase II and III of the scheme, two more hospitals in Jajpur and Kalahandi districts of Odisha has been approved. Central share of Rs 150 crore and Rs 100 crore respectively has been released to the State government for the two new medical colleges.
The medical college has started functioning with health facilities of the District Headquarter Hospital (DHH), Puri. A 650-bedded teaching hospital is under construction by the State government. This medical college and hospital will provide quality health care services to the people of Puri district and also to a large number of tourists visiting Puri town.
Radhaballava Behera, a medical student, thanked the State Government for the reservation policy for the government school students. He is the son of a sharecropper from Balasore district and was admitted under the quota made for the government school students.
Another student Bhatta Hembram from Mayurbhanj also interacted with the two leaders. He comes from a very poor tribal family in a remote area of Mayurbhanj. His parents are daily labourers with a large family of 8 children.
With grit and determination, he achieved his dream of admission in medical college. He also thanked the State government for the quota for the government school students.
In his interaction with the students, Mr.Mandaviya motivated the students to work for the rural population and provide the best of health care for the poor patients