Congress' bandh call for second AIIMS disrupts life in Odisha's Sundargarh

ROURKELA:  Normal life was thrown out of gear due to a dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by the District Congress Committee demanding setting up of second AIIMS in Sundargarh town on Saturday. 

The bandh evoked spontaneous response with shops and markets remaining closed and commercial vehicles staying off the roads.

Congress members picketed at government offices and ensured those remained closed. 

The Health & Family Welfare Department as per  an MoU signed with NTPC initiated measures to run the newly-constructed NTPC Medical College and Hospital (NTPCMCH) at Sankara in Sundargarh town and admit students from 2022-23 academic year.

In November last year, the then Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy had moved the second AIIMS proposal to the Centre stating the NTPC MCH constructed at a cost of Rs 418 crore with provisions for 500 beds and 100 MBBS seats could be utilised for the purpose. 

Last month, the Director of Medical Education and Training too had mooted a similar proposal which reiterated the State government’s demand for setting up an AIIMS in Sundargarh town.

In April, a Central team had visited the medical college for conducting a feasibility study. 

District Congress Committee president BM Tripathy said the NTPC MCH run by the State government would not be of any help for the deprived vast tribal and rural population of the region.

“The Sundargarh district headquarters hospital (SDHH) is plagued by vacancies of about 40 doctors while the western Odisha’s largest health institute VIMSAR, Burla lacks major medical departments as a result of which critical patients are forced to travel over 300 km to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for availing quality treatment,” he stated. 

Tripathy said the NTPC MCH under the State government would go the VIMSAR way, adding, the second AIIMS would ensure tertiary and quality health care for the poor, rural and tribal population of adjacent districts of western Odisha and neighbouring pockets of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

The Congress also accused the Centre and State governments of apathy towards the needs of the region. Two days back, the Sundargarh District Bar Association too had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue requesting his intervention.