Healthcare issues in Bolangir sparks showdown in Odisha Assembly

During the Question Hour in Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday, the current and former Health Ministers engaged in a direct confrontation over the health issues in the Bolangir constituency.

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BJD MLA and former Health Minister Niranjan Pujari pointed out that while the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Sonepur ranks second nationwide in terms of construction and facilities, it lacks adequate doctors. Many patients are reportedly being deprived of timely treatment.

“Architectural structure of the newly built DHH in Sonepur, which the Minister has also visited and I thank him for this, is the second best in the country. But a good building will not help treat the patients, and doctors are also required for it,” the BJD MLA Pujari said.

“During his tenure, the Minister has transferred at least five good doctors from the DHH to elsewhere, and he has not appointed any doctor in the DHH instead. Around 299 posts of doctors exist in the district, and there are presently 90 doctors, which means there is a vacancy of at least 209 doctors,” the former health minister stated.

In response, the Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling acknowledged the issue but stated that the previous BJD-led government had held power for 24 years and the current government inherited the State’s existing healthcare infrastructure.

“Earlier, MLA Pujari was also in charge of the Health Department for quite a long time, and the BJD-led government ruled the State for around 24 years. We have only inherited the existing healthcare infrastructure,” Minister Mahaling expressed.

Minister Mahaling added that it is impossible to produce specialist doctors within a year and a half. Currently, about 5,195 medical and paramedical staff have been appointed, but the shortage of specialist doctors persists. The Health Minister assured that all vacancies would be filled in the coming days.