Berhampur, Jan. 14: The state government has decided to distribute medicines free of cost to patients in all the government-run hospitals.

“We are purchasing medicines worth Rs 200 crore through e-tender and it would be provided to patients free of cost through the Odisha State Medical Corporation,” said health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.

In the first phase, medicines would be provided to patients in the three government-run medical college and hospitals (SCB Medical College in Cuttack, VSS Medical College in Sambalpur and MKCG College in Berhampur) through drugs distribution centres (DDC), the health minister said.

“We are planning to spend Rs 3,575 crore on the medical sector for the next two years. This year we are going to spend Rs 585 crore for infrastructure development in hospitals and Rs 500 crore for the development of three government-run medical colleges,” Nayak said while giving a speech at the annual function of the students’ union at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur on Wednesday.

Ashok Mahapatra, director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, and minister for higher education Pradeep Panigrahi also addressed the students and told them to have a positive attitude towards health care.

Autonomous status

Minister of higher education Pradeep Panigrahi and Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik spoke on the need for autonomy status of the college.

Avinash Prasad Dash, the president of students’ union, initiated the discussion on the topic in his welcome address.

“A house committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly had recommended autonomous status to all the three government-run medical colleges way back in 1995,” said Chau Patnaik.

“The MKCG is lagging behind though the standard of education in the college is praiseworthy,” said Chau Patnaik. He suggested a change in the policy of the health department in the tendering process.