Bhubaneswar, Aug 5: Odisha has taken a major step towards strengthening its healthcare ecosystem by signing 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading national and international institutions to improve medical services, trauma care, healthcare infrastructure, and medical education across the state.
The agreements were signed at Lok Seva Bhawan in the presence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling. The partnerships focus on improving emergency healthcare, upgrading diagnostic facilities, supporting medical innovation, and making advanced treatment more accessible to people.
One of the major initiatives under the agreements is the establishment of a Trauma Care Centre of Excellence in a government medical college in collaboration with AIIMS-New Delhi’s Centre for Emergency and Trauma Care. The partnership aims to upgrade trauma care facilities and strengthen emergency medical services across Odisha.
The state has also partnered with the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) to promote Ayurveda-based healthcare and traditional Indian knowledge systems, while collaboration with Gujarat-based innovation platform I-Hub will support startups, research, and modern teaching methods in medical education.
To improve the quality of diagnostic services, Odisha will work with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to upgrade laboratories at district headquarters hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals through accreditation and quality improvement measures.
The partnership with Seva Daan Aarogya Foundation will help establish patient attendant rest houses at six government medical colleges and hospitals, providing safer and more convenient accommodation for families of patients receiving treatment.
Under the agreement with Amrita Hospital, Kochi, children suffering from congenital heart diseases will receive free surgeries, cardiac treatment, post-operative care, and follow-up services. The initiative will also include free heart screening camps in remote areas to identify health issues at an early stage.
The state has further joined hands with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop a climate-smart drug warehouse network, aimed at improving medicine storage and distribution systems.
Additional partnerships with organisations including Tata Steel Foundation and Kaivalya Education Foundation under Project Swasth will focus on strengthening healthcare delivery, research, and institutional capacity.
The Odisha government said these collaborations are part of its broader vision to create a stronger, technology-driven healthcare system with better access to quality treatment, improved medical education, and enhanced healthcare facilities for citizens across the state.