Cuttack: The second campus of SCB Medical College and Hospital is likely to come up at Bhubanananda Orissa School of Engineering (BOSE) instead of the Naraj as proposed earlier.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has recently given his consent to develop BOSE as the second campus of the premier healthcare facility of the state. Patnaik has sent the proposal of the expansion project to the Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena for a review, sources said.
According to sources, the proposal to develop BOSE as the second campus of SCB instead of Naraj was placed before the CM by former MLA of Dharmasala and director of Orissa Khadi and Village Industries Board, Rabi Labanya.
In his proposal, Labanya had stated that more than 4,000 patients visit SCB outdoor for treatment daily. At present, there are 27 departments functioning at the premier medical college and hospital. The hospital has witnessed a rise in the number of patients keeping apace the rising population in the state. However, the hospital is facing an acute shortage of space to accommodate the huge number of patients.
Labanya further stated that the government has identified 10 acres of land at Naraj for expansion of the hospital where the proposed second campus would come up. While the main campus is located at Mangalabag, another campus in Naraj, about 12 km away the main campus, will divide the hospital into two parts, Labanya had stated.
He also mentioned that the BOSE campus is adjacent to SCB and recommended for shifting of the engineering college to Naraj and developing its existing campus as SCB’s second campus.
When contacted, the health minister said, “We are mulling over the proposal.”
PNN
