Bhubaneswar: The state government has constituted a 22-member committee with Manash Ranjan Sahoo, Vice Chancellor of Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS) as its Chairman to examine plans for providing medical education in Odia language in the state. In a notification, the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department said “In view of the mandate to provide medical education in Odia language in the state, a committee is hereby constituted to examine the matter, identify the essential course books for MBBS education required to be translated in Odia language and workout timeline and budget requirement for undertaking the task.”
Members of the committee include Pravash Tripathy, Additional prof Anatomy AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Archana Misra, HoD, Physiology, SCBMCH, Cuttack; Manaswaini Mangaraj, HoD, Biochem, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Niranjan Rout ex prof & HoD Pathology; Bharat Patel, asst prof Microbiology, Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital, Sundergarh; Pradeep Kumar Nayak, asst prof FMT, Deputy Controller Examination, OUHS, BBSR; Biswa Ranjan Padh, additional prof of Pharmacology, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Durga Satapathy, HoD, SPM, MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur; Pradipta Parida, HoD ENT, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Prasanna Ku Rathore, associate prof Medicine, PRM Medical College and Hospital, Baripada; Lachhman Bag, associate prof Surgery, SJMCH Puri; Ritanjali Behera, O&G PRMMCH, Baripada; Bishnu Patro, HoD, Orthopaedics, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Bhagirathi Dwibedy, prof Paediatrics, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Biswanath Behera, associate prof Dermatology, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Mihir Ranjan Nayak, prof Psychiatry, SCBMCH, Cuttack; Ranjita Mohapatra, prof Anaeshesiology, JKMCH, Jajpur; Sudipta Nayak, additional prof Radiology, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar; Rajashree Rout, associate prof Ophthalmology, SLNMCH, Koraput. Premananda Mohapatra Programme Advisor, Odia Bhasha Pratisthan, Bhubaneswar and Registrar of OUHS, BBSR has been appointed as a member and Convener of the committee.
The Committee will assess the volume of work to be taken up for the purpose and the timeline required for getting the work done. The Committee will submit their proposal to the H&FW department within 15 days for taking further action in the matter, the notification added. Meanwhile, Subasish Behera, a Dentist from Cuttack said the government’s move defies simple logic. “Will students from outside states who are enrolled in medical colleges here be able understand medical terms in Odia,” he asked. He said even faculties will struggle to explain concepts in Odia after learning it in English.”I’d rather suggest that they should start introducing the language in schools and colleges before implementing it in medical colleges,” he added.
Amrit Pattojoshi, HoD of Psychiatry, Hitech Medical College said translating the medical curriculum for MBBS students into Odia presents significant challenges. “Medicine relies on standardized terminologies and practices globally, with English serving as the common language for international collaboration. Changing these terminologies can lead to a loss of accuracy and dip in standards, affecting global acceptance and training standardisation,” he said. It is worth mentioning that the previous BJD government had planned to introduce a policy framework for promoting technical as well as medical education in Odia language in the state. It was as per a resolution passed during the First World Odia Language Conference held in the Capital City in February this year.
