Bhubaneswar, Jan 9: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday reviewed key health programmes being implemented by the Health and Family Welfare Department and announced several initiatives aimed at strengthening the state’s healthcare infrastructure, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The decisions were taken during a high-level review meeting held in Bhubaneswar, where the Chief Minister assessed the progress of ongoing schemes and outlined new measures to improve healthcare delivery across the state.
As part of the initiatives, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) will be implemented initially as a pilot project in Kendujhar district. Based on its performance and outcomes, the digital health mission will be expanded across Odisha, the statement said.
Under the ABDM, healthcare services such as appointment booking, referrals, follow-ups and other related processes will be carried out through digital platforms.
The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital health ecosystem, enabling citizens to access and share health records securely using unique Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs while ensuring seamless coordination among patients, doctors, laboratories and pharmacies.
The state government expects the initiative to significantly reduce patient waiting time and ensure optimal utilisation of healthcare infrastructure.
In another major decision, Majhi announced that Diplomate of National Board (DNB) courses will be introduced at all District Headquarters Hospitals to enhance the skills and expertise of doctors.
The initiative will allow medical professionals to pursue specialisation through practical and clinical training while continuing to serve at the district level, the statement said.
To strengthen traditional systems of medicine, the Chief Minister directed that AYUSH doctors should prescribe only Ayurvedic medicines and refrain from prescribing allopathic drugs.
He also instructed officials to ensure the availability of Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medicines at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to promote AYUSH healthcare services across the state.
