CM Naveen Patnaik launches four new schemes to boost health services in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Patients can now get free diagnostic facilities at all State-run hospitals from next year. In a major boost to health services, the Odisha Government on Tuesday introduced Nidaan, Sahay, Ama Clinic and Anmol schemes for the welfare of people.

Launching the new health schemes, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said patients in all public health facilities will be provided identified diagnostic services free of cost under the Nidaan scheme from January 1 next year.

Besides, additional diagnostic services like highend pathology tests, digital X-Ray, City Scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) will be provided free of cost in Government hospitals in PPP mode by March, 2018, he said. Under the Sahay scheme, the Chief Minister said kidney patients requiring dialysis service will be provided the facility free in most of the District Headquarters Hospitals (DHHs). “As many as 127 dialysis machines will be installed at 25 DHHs and one at Narasinghpur CHC in Cuttack district in PPP mode. The State Government has made a budgetary provision of about `600 crore in five years to provide free diagnostic and dialysis services,” Naveen informed.

The Government has also decided to provide additional health services in urban areas for quality care. Under the Ama Clinic scheme, fixed day specialist services in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Medicine and Geriatrics, Eye-care, Physiotherapy and Psychiatric will be made available which will benefit 45.53 lakh urban population in 27 cities and towns. In a bid to equip the Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) with the latest technology, the State Government will supply tablet computers with Anmol applications to all ANMs.

The device will be useful for real-time data collection on beneficiaries, especially pregnant women, mothers and newborns besides reporting on various health care programmes. “I had announced cash award of ` two crore for achieving highest performance in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) reduction. Accordingly, performance of 15 high priority districts was evaluated under the Sampurna scheme. I appreciate the efforts of Collectors and health teams of Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Keonjhar and Balangir districts for their commendable work in reducing IMR and MMR,” he said.

The CM called upon all stakeholders to work dedicatedly for implementation of new schemes and serve the people. Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan and Health Secretary Dr PK Meherda and NHM Director Shalini Pandit were present.