As quality health service remains a far cry in the remote districts in Odisha, the State government on Monday launched air health service to fly specialists to four districts to address the needs of people.
The service inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would be available in Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Malkangiri.
“Specialist doctors of medical colleges and corporate hospitals would fly down to the four districts on pre-scheduled dates. People can avail themselves of their services in respect of kidney ailments, cardio complications and neurological problems,” said the State government.
The State would bear all costs incurred towards the service.
As per the latest affidavit filed by the State government in the Orissa High Court, 3,523 posts of general duty medical officers were lying vacant against the 5,838 sanctioned posts. Similarly, there were no specialist doctors in 1,211 positions as against 2,708 sanctioned posts for specialist doctors.
Recently, the government had allowed pharmacists to dispense drugs to patients pertaining to 12 diseases in view of doctors’ shortage.
“Many of the single doctor hospitals are managed by pharmacists in the absence of doctors due to some reason or other. It is difficult to manage the said hospitals without any specific government orders entrusting the pharmacists for treatment of patients and list of ailments to be treated by them,” said the Department of Health and Family Welfare in a communication.
It said, “To overcome the difficulties, the government after careful consideration has been pleased to decide that in partial modification to earlier department order, the pharmacists are entrusted to dispense the drugs for ailments for treatment in the absence of doctors.”
On Monday, 125 junior assistants joined the Odisha Municipal Cadre in the Housing and Urban Development Department.
“The poor and the marginalised are the core beneficiaries of the development programmes and schemes of my government. Therefore, I have directed all officials to treat our citizens professionally, with dignity and empathy,” Mr. Patnaik said.
