MCL to set up medical college in Angul district, Orissa

MCL to set up medical college in Angul district, OrissaMahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has announced the setting up of a 500-bed medical college and hospital at Talcher in Angul district; and the upgrading of the existing Nehru Satabdi Hospital to a super specialty hospital. Necessary approval for these projects has already been received from the state government, facing acute shortage of doctors in Orissa.

Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said: "In order to improve medical services, the state government is ready to accept proposals to set up medical colleges in public-private partnership mode."

He directed the authorities concerned to make adequate arrangements for effective disposal of waste material and checking pollution.

CMD of MCL, C R Upadhyay said that MCL will bear the expenses of the proposed medical college, which will come up on 60 acres of land located near the hospital. An apex body, under the chairmanship of the health secretary, will be formed to look into the affairs of the proposed medical college and hospital.

There are 4,260 sanctioned government posts of doctors in Orissa, out of which about 1,000 are currently lying vacant. Orissa has a total of six medical colleges including three government colleges, having 1,000 MBBS and BDS seats.