Odisha launches 650-bed teaching hospital in Baripada

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday inaugurated the newly constructed 650-bed Teaching Hospital of Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district, describing it as a landmark healthcare project that will transform medical services across north Odisha.

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 258 crore, the state-of-the-art multi-specialty hospital is among the largest healthcare infrastructure projects in the region. The Chief Minister said the facility would usher in a new era of healthcare delivery, benefiting not only the people of Mayurbhanj but also residents of neighbouring districts, adjoining states and remote tribal areas.
During his visit to Baripada, Majhi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 39 development projects worth more than Rs 430 crore, covering key sectors such as healthcare, transportation, drinking water supply and public welfare.

The newly inaugurated teaching hospital is equipped with advanced diagnostic facilities, specialist departments, critical care units, emergency services and modern teaching infrastructure. According to the Chief Minister, these facilities will significantly strengthen healthcare services in the region and help establish the institution as a major referral centre for north Odisha.

He said patients who earlier had to travel to distant cities for specialised treatment would now have access to quality healthcare closer to home, reducing both financial burden and physical hardship while ensuring timely medical intervention.

Highlighting the district’s sizeable tribal population, Majhi expressed confidence that the medical college and hospital would play a crucial role in improving community healthcare, maternal and child health services, public health research and health awareness among tribal communities.

The Chief Minister said the state government is investing Rs 430.26 crore in Mayurbhanj’s infrastructure development. The projects launched and inaugurated on Monday are expected to accelerate the district’s socio-economic growth and improve the quality of life of its residents.

Speaking on the government’s healthcare initiatives, Majhi said that under the Ayushman Bharat–Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, around 3.46 crore beneficiaries from 1.30 crore families in Odisha are receiving free quality healthcare services at leading government and private hospitals across the country.

He further stated that within 20 months of the present government taking office, three new medical colleges have become operational in Jajpur, Kandhamal and Talcher. The foundation stone for a medical college in Nabarangpur was laid earlier this year, while similar institutions are planned in Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak.

To strengthen AYUSH healthcare services, the government is also taking steps to establish three new Ayurvedic medical colleges in Gajapati, Malkangiri and Rayagada, along with two Homoeopathic medical colleges in Nayagarh and Nuapada.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the government remains committed to expanding healthcare infrastructure and ensuring access to quality medical services for all citizens. He noted that the full operationalisation of the 650-bed Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital would substantially enhance healthcare capacity in Mayurbhanj and reshape the healthcare landscape of north Odisha. United News of India