Angul: A 100-bed mother and child care hospital started functioning in the city on Wednesday.

Health minister Pratap Jena inaugurated the health facility on Tuesday. Only the outdoor wards started functioning, while the indoor units failed to become operational because of staff shortage. Sources said it would take at least about a month to start the indoor wards at the facility.

"The outdoor facilities have started for women and children. Indoor services will be opened after we get the required employees. It will take about a month," said chief district medical officer G. Bal.

He said all sorts of care - provisioned by the state government for women and children - would be made available in the facility.

The roads and building department constructed the six-storey unit near the Angul District Headquarters Hospital for Rs 16 crore. The National Health Mission provided the funds. The building has been equipped with all safety measures to tackle fire and electrical hazards.

Jena said: "The state government is focused on improving the health services. The Angul District Headquarters Hospital will get many essential facilities, such as dialysis, MRI scan and chemotherapy." He also said a geriatric ward would be set up at the hospital for Rs 40 lakh.

Jena hoped that the proposed medical college-cum-hospital at Talcher, about 20km from the town, would come up by 2019. Construction of buildings for the purpose is almost complete.

Angul district collector Anil Kumar Samal was present during the inauguration.