Bhubaneswar: To address the shortage of doctors and improve healthcare services in Odisha, the State government on Friday handed over appointment letters to 363 doctors for posting at different health centres across the State.
While attending a workshop at the Jayadev Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik distributed the letters to the doctors for regular appointment.
Talking to news men, Patnaik said, “Healthcare is the topmost priority of the State government and special attention has been given to fill up vacant doctor posts in the State particularly in the remote areas after regular reviews at my level. Today 363 doctors were given the appointment letters and 800 more doctors will be recruited soon.”
The chief minister added seven more government medical colleges will be established in the State.
Commenting on the new doctor appointments, Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, who was also present at the function, said, “The appointments have been made after talking to Collectors of the districts where there was a shortage of doctors.”
Nayak added, “The newly appointed doctors will be posted in rural areas. Therefore, we believe the gap between demand and supply of doctors will be filled and health issues can be solved. In coming days, more doctors will be appointed.”
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An elated Dr Sudha Agarwal, who received the appointment letter for a posting at the Gynaecologist department in the Sohela CHC, said, “I will try the best of my level to provide healthcare services with an aim to minimise maternal and infant mortality rates in the area.”
“However, we need security keeping in view of the recent attacks on doctors at different places in the State,” she added.