Odisha is making significant strides in healthcare and education. The Odisha government announced nine nine medical college expansion plan. This move addresses the shortage of medical professionals. It also aims to improve healthcare infrastructure. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling shared this at the Healthcare Summit 2025. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised the summit.
Medical College Expansion Across Odisha
The new institutions include:
- Four MBBS colleges
- Four dental colleges
- One Ayurvedic medical college
Two new MBBS colleges are opening this academic year. They are in Phulbani and Talcher.
The government has strategically chosen locations for these colleges:
- MBBS Colleges: Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Nabarangpur
- Dental Colleges: Burla, Berhampur, Bolangir, Keonjhar
- Ayurvedic College: Mayurbhanj
Immediate Impact and Recruitment Drive
Two new MBBS colleges in Phulbani (Kandhamal) and Talcher (Angul) will start with 100 seats each. They have all the necessary approvals.
The government is also focusing on recruitment. In 2024, over 4,000 doctors and paramedical staff were hired. The plan is to recruit over 5,000 more healthcare professionals in 2025. This ensures new and existing facilities are well-staffed. The Odisha government aims to fill 1.5 lakh government posts in the next five years. This includes jobs in health, education, and administration.
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Public-Private Partnerships and National Goals
Sunil Gupta, Chairman of CII Odisha State Council, highlighted Odisha’s growing importance in healthcare. He advocated for public-private partnerships (PPP). These collaborations can help in infrastructure, training, technology, and research.
This initiative helps India reach the WHO-recommended doctor-patient ratio of 1:1000. It will train more local talent. This will reduce reliance on doctors from other states. The new dental and Ayurvedic colleges will diversify healthcare education. The Ayurvedic college in Mayurbhanj supports traditional medicine.
