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Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday asked the police to take strong action against middlemen active in some state-run hospitals and urged doctors to do selfless service to the sick people.
Patnaik said this while addressing the chief district medical officers (CDMO) and the Superintendents of police (SP) of different districts through video conferencing ahead of launching "Mo Sarkar" (my government) initiative on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.
"I also know that in some places, middlemen interfere in the provision of health services. The SPs present here will make sure that hospitals are free of any middlemen and take tough action against them," Patnaik said.
Stating that he will personally talk at random to people who availed service in the government hospitals and police stations, Patnaik said 'Mo Sarkar' programme aimed at taking feedback from the people.
Noting that doctors in many places have emerged as the role models, Patnaik recalled how a doctor commanded respect from the people in poverty stricken Rayagada district.
"Long ago in 2001, you must have heard there was the tragic Mango kernel incident at Kashipur. I visited Kashipur and saw amidst all the gloom and tragedy, a bright spot in the form of a local doctor. People had so much respect and faith in him-- He was the one people listened to-- more than administration and the police," Patnaik recalled.
The chief minister said he then (in 2001) deputed four IAS probationers to Kashipur and told them to go and learn from the doctor and follow the good work that he was doing.
Patnaik said throughout the years, he has come across so many such doctors who are role models for their selfless public service.
"We need more such role models throughout the state," the chief minister said.
Stating that the state had a number of successes as Odisha recorded sharpest fall in IMR (infant mortality rate) among states and the world recognised efforts in malaria reduction.
The chief minister informed the CDMOs present in the video conferencing that the entire infrastructure, budget, medical colleges is finally for the people and by the peoples' money. All these institutions exist from the citizen's money for the benefit of them, he pointed out.
"They are the real owners and it is important that we take feedback on how they feel about our services," the chief minister said.
Under the Mo Sarkar initiative, the state government has decided to take feedback from the people visiting state run hospitals and police stations from October 2.
