Puri: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday inaugurated Shri Jagannath Medical College and Hospital here, in the presence of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The Union Minister attended the event virtually.
Established jointly by Centre and State governments, the Medical College has 100 MBBS seats capacity. The first batch was inaugurated by the Chief Minister and Union Minister on the inaugural day.
Speaking on the occasion, Naveen said “This is a historic day for Puri district. I hope that, with the efforts of the teachers and students, this institution will get a great name in serving the people of Puri. It is heartening to know that the students from the poorest sections have got into the medical college. Especially, the students from the government schools have got admissions due to the 15% reservation policy of the state government.”
The Chief Minister thanked Union Minister for his support in establishing the medical college. Later, they interacted with the students and faculty.
Radhaballava Behera, son of a sharecropper from Balasore district, who got admission in the college due to the reservation policy thanked the government for giving students like him a chance.
Another student, Bhatta Hembram from Mayurbhanj, also interacted with the Chief Minister and Union Minister. His parents work as daily labourers with a large family of 8 children. Bhatta achieved his dream of admission in medical college with dedicated studies and hoped for a bright future for students coming from economically poor backgrounds.
Mandaviya motivated the students to work for the rural population and provide the best of healthcare for the poor patients.
The medical college started functioning with health facilities of the District Headquarters Hospital. A 650-bed teaching hospital is under construction will provide quality health care services to the people of Puri district and to a large number of tourists visiting the town.
