Hinjilicut/Shergad: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the newly-built Sankara eye hospital at Samarjhola under Hinjilicut block in Ganjam district during his one-day visit to the district Saturday.
Patnaik while inaugurating the hospital also laid the foundation stones for a slew of projects.
Patnaik after his arrival at the temporary helipad in Hinjilicut at 10.30 am first inaugurated two drinking water projects at Silapapali in Hinjilicut and Mihirkana in neighbouring Shergad block.
He then unveiled the Sankara eye hospital at Samarjhola, built at a cost of Rs 42.3 crore, in the presence of Sankaracharya Swami Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi Kamakoti mutt and health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. Patnaik later went inside the hospital and inspected the functioning of various departments. The hospital will become fully operational from Monday.
Addressing a meeting, Patnaik said the government has taken various steps towards eradication of blindness. As part of his government’s commitment to this cause, over three lakh patients were examined for their eyesight and 30,000 spectacles distributed for free, he said.
He expressed his thanks to the Sankara foundation and the Tata Group for building the hospital in the shortest possible time for which he had laid the foundation stone a year back.
Health minister Nayak said steps have been taken for establishment of six medical colleges in the state while more seats have been allotted for students of Berhampur based-MKCG Medical College.
He added that the state government is taking steps to make cancer treatment available in every district.
Tata Steel MD Narendra Sarkar thanked the state government for laying emphasis on industrialization and development of healthcare.
S Biswanathan, trustee and secretary of Sankara foundation, thanked the state government for providing the land and also commended Tata Steel for sanctioning funds for the establishment of the hospital.
Ministers Bikram Keshari Arukh, Pradip Kumar Panigrahi, former minister Surya Narayan Patro, MLAs V Sugyani Kumari Deo, Ramesh Chandra Chyaupatnaik, Debaraj Mohanty, Purna Chandra Sethi, Purna Chandra Swain, Aska MP Ladu Kishore Swain, Tata Steel’s Arun Mishra, Sankara Netralaya trustee V Shankar, CEO of Sankara hospital Arabinda Mohanty, and collector Prem Chandra Choudhury attended the unveiling ceremony. PNN
