Baripada: Mayurbhanj Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital (MHMCH) at Baripada, one of the oldest educational institutes in the district, has been a scapegoat of mismanagement and official laxity. The homeopathic college is a picture of neglect. On the other hand, the state government has not taken it over, leaving locals upset.
The continued mismanagement has plunged the fate of the institute into uncertainty. And it may be mentioned here that it is the only homeopathic college in entire northern Odisha.
The private college is recognised by the state government and is affiliated to North Orissa University. Notably, the Collector is the president of the college management.
It was in 1980 when with the help of some social activists and homeopathic doctors, Dr Gourachandra Giri, a homeopathic doctor, founded the college as a private clinic near Baghra Road bus-stand. Later, it functioned for sometime from Pandey ME School and then on the premises of the district headquarters hospital.
Now, the college is being permanently being run at Manchabandh.
It offers a four-and-a-half-year course in Bachelor in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) programme.
The college has 12 departments equipped with adequate modern instruments and technical equipment besides a big herbal garden as well as girls’ and boys’ hostels. Even though the institute has the basic infrastructure, the state government is yet to take it under its fold.
The private homeopathy medical colleges in Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur were taken over by the government in 1994 but MHMCH was left out for reasons unknown.
Before the last general elections in 2014, intelligentsia and social workers of the district had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik highlighting the condition of the college. The Chief Minister had assured them to look into the issue.
At a public meeting in Baripada December 11, 2013, the Chief Minister said that the state government is considering setting up an Ayurveda college in Baripada. Now, locals are lamenting that six years have passed since the CM’s assurance on the college’s takeover, but nothing has been done so far.
A local suggested that instead of setting up an Ayurveda college, the government should revive the homeopathic college. Residents have expressed displeasure over the government apathy to the homeopathic college.
PNN
