Koraput: Resentment is brewing among the residents of Jeypore over non-shifting of the district headquarters hospital from Koraput to there, even though 10 months have passed since the Jeypore Sub-Divisional Hospital was accorded the district headquarters hospital status.

"Shifting of the district headquarters hospital to Jeypore will immensely help the people of the region and it should be done at the earliest. But, the authorities concerned seem to be least concerned about it," said Jeypore resident Akshay Sahu.

"If the district headquarters hospital is shifted to Jeypore, then around 61 staff nurses, as many as eight pharmacists, 45 doctors and around 80 other health officials will have to be shifted to Jeypore from Koraput. It will give a fillip to the existing healthcare system in the region," said Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.

A senior government official, on the other hand, said that the shifting process had been slowed down as infrastructure was not ready in Jeypore to accommodate all the staff.

"The district headquarters hospital will be shifted to Jeypore but in a phase-wise manner. We have already shifted beds and other required equipment to the maternity and child health care building from Koraput," said Koraput chief district medical officer Lalit Mohan Rath.

He said that a new building would be constructed by spending Rs 52 crore on the premises of the maternity and child health care ward for the functioning of the district headquarters hospital.