By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA: The outbreak of COVID-19, subsequent relief and restoration works have reunited Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union PNG-Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for a greater interest in this eastern Indian State with State PSU Odisha Mining Corporation(OMC) and Central PSU Mahanadi Coal Fields Limited(MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, under the Ministry of Coal, joining hands with State’s 2 leading Private Medical Colleges and Hospitals including SUM and KIMS to set up a Biggest COVID Hospitals in the Country.
The State Government has signed two tripartite agreements with SUM and KIIMS Medical Colleges to set up 1000 bedded state level Hospitals in Bhubaneswar for treatment of COVID-19 patients. These hospitals will be the state facility for COVID-19 treatment. Both the new facilities will be functional in a fortnight.
The first MoU signed by the Government of Odisha represented by Health Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal, MD of OMC Vineel Krishna and KIIMS Management to set up a 450 bedded hospital. The second MoU was signed by Health Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal, SS Panda of MCL and SUM Hospital Management to set up a 500 bedded hospital plus ICU facilities.
Sources manning both Third Floor of Loka Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar as well as Shastri Bhawan inside Parliament in New Delhi, however informed that both Chief Minister Patnaik and Union Minister Petroleum,Natural Gas and Steel, Pradhan jointly persuaded OMC and MCL, 2 leading State and Central PSUs, to flood funds and as well as also, with their strong backing, State Health and Family Welfare Department led by able IAS officer, Nikunja Dhal, roped in on BJD Kandhamal Lok Sabha MP Dr Achyuta Samanta run KIMS and Dr Manoj Nayak run SUM to set up a Biggest COVID Hospitals in the Country, that will be located in Bhubaneswar.
“As Union PNG-Steel Minister Pradhan shares a close relationship with Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi and OMC, a State PSU, it was obvious, MCL-OMC joining hands together with SUM and KIMS to set up a Biggest COVID Hospitals in the Country,” sources said in Bhubaneswar. Both Chief Minister Patnaik and Union Minister Pradhan hailed the OMC and MCL for coming forward in the interest of the people of the State.
The Chairman of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Manoj Nayak and Vice Chancellor of SOA University Ashok Kumar Mahapatra thanked Chief Minister Patnaik and Union Minister Pradhan for their trust on SUM Hospitals for taking up this initiative.
