Sambalpur, April 10: The mother and childcare centre, inaugurated more than one month ago, is yet to get functional as severe funds crunch reportedly came in the way of recruiting ancillary staff for it.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated the building at the Government Headquarters Hospital in Sambalpur on February 27. The building has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 9 crore, which was funded by the National Rural Health Mission.

"We can manage the health service at the centre with the existing doctors and nurses of the headquarters hospital. However, we cannot open the mother and childcare centre until watchmen, attendants and cleaning staff members are appointed. Around Rs 2.5 lakh will be required to pay the monthly salary of the contractual staff members. We do not have the funds for this," said Kodanda Rao, the chief district medical officer.

The centre has facilities, such as operation theatres, labour rooms, sick newborn care units, outpatient department for obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics. A 50-bed ward is also a part of the new unit. The three-storey building also houses a seminar hall, a library and a skill development centre.