Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has partnered with Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO), an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, to strengthen healthcare services across the state.
The agreement focuses on critical areas such as maternal and child health, nursing, nutrition, non-communicable diseases, and emergency preparedness. JHPIEGO will provide technical expertise, policy guidance, and support for medical education, including digital learning initiatives.
Importantly, this collaboration is not financially driven but is based on knowledge-sharing and capacity-building.
Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling emphasized that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to building inclusive and sustainable healthcare systems in Odisha.
In addition to this, the state government signed a separate memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AIIMS-Bhubaneswar to expand advanced medical services at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, and surrounding areas. The MoU was signed by Executive Director of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar Ashutosh Biswas and Director of Health Services, Odisha, Pradeep Guru in the presence of Health Secretary Aswathy S and other senior officials.
“Under this agreement, a new 100-bed facility will be constructed at the Rairangpur sub-divisional hospital. AIIMS-Bhubaneswar will also provide specialist outpatient services, organise regular medical camps for dental, eye, and infectious disease care, and introduce teleconsultation facilities every one to two months,” the minister shared on social media.
He added that an emergency patient transfer system to AIIMS Bhubaneswar will further strengthen healthcare access in remote regions.
