Quote:IGH hopes dashed as Odisha Govt props Sundargarh for second AIIMS

Published: 28th November 2020 08:57 AM

ROURKELA: The hopes of people of Rourkela over takeover of the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH) by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been dashed with the Odisha government pitching for the premier medical college and hospital at Sundargarh town.

State Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy has written to the Centre requesting for establishment of an AIIMS at Sundargarh town by utilising the newly-constructed NTPC Medical College and Hospital (MCH).  Incidentally, the 700-bed IGH is being developed as Ispat Post-Graduate Medical Institute and Super Speciality Hospital. The first phase construction work of the super speciality hospital is likely to be completed in a month with Central funding of around Rs 300 crore.

On October 26, RSP executives’ association president Bimal Bisi had written to the Prime Minister’s Office reiterating the demand for takeover of IGH by AIIMS. Bisi argued that SAIL has no expertise to run such a big hospital and with RSP facing loss, it is not feasible to run IGH by spending nearly Rs 90 crore including Rs 32 crore towards salary expenditure annually. Even if not AIIMS, the IGH should be brought under any autonomous institution of the Central government to benefit the poor population, Bisi said.