Naveen announces launch of NUHM soon ahead of urban polls

Barely two days after Orissa High Court paving ways for conduct of elections for urban local bodies (ULBs), the state government today announced to launch National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) very soon besides sanctioning recruitment of 5371 personnel including 636 doctors.
"National Urban Health Mission and Rastriya Bal Swasthya Karyakarm (RBSK) will be launched very soon in Odisha," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said after taking stock of health scenario in the state.
Stating that today's decision would help improve shortage of doctors and deteriorating healthcare services in the state, health minister Damodar Rout said the 636 doctors sanctioned by the chief minister included 436 assistant surgeons and 200 dental surgeons.

Besides, Patnaik also approved a proposal of appointing 4735 para-medical staff including 1024 staff nurses, 1885 health worker/ANM, 125 radiographers, 433 laboratory technicians and 1268 make health workers.
Official sources said the recruitment process for all the above posts would be completed by October end.
It was also decided at the meeting that 485 auxiliary nursing midwives (ANM) and 2,892 healthcare assistants would be appointed for the effective implementation of National Urban Health Mission & Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) in the state.

Both the programmes are expected to be launched by this November, they added.
Earlier, the state government had sought support from the Centre for setting up four government medical colleges in Balasore, Baripada, Koraput and Bolangir and four new nursing colleges in Sundergarh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts.

The government had recently entered into agreement with 20 private and corporate hospitals including six from outside Odisha for providing better health care facilities for the poor people.