HLL officials sign an MoU with Odisha state health department officials in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, June 25: Odisha government today inked an MoU with central government undertaking HLL Lifecare Limited, (formerly known as Hindustan Latex Limited) to improve the state’s healthcare system.

In the first phase, healthcare infrastructure would be developed at the Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) in Cuttack.

Later, healthcare infrastructure would also be strengthened in the three government medical college and hospitals of Odisha.

On behalf of the Odisha government, the director of the cancer centre and superintendents of the three medical colleges — SCB in Cuttack, MKCG in Berhampur and VSS in Burla — inked the MoUs with officials the central government undertaking. Odisha health secretary P.K. Mohapatra said: “The signing of MoU will improve the healthcare system of Odisha. The HLL will commence its work within 15 months.”

The lifecare company will install a CT scan machine, simulators and other instruments at the premier cancer centre in Cuttack. Machines of CT scan will also be installed by them at MKCG and VSS medical college cum hospitals.

“If more than 40 scans take place in a day in any of the medical colleges, 12 per cent of the earnings from the medical examination will be given to the medical colleges,” said an Odisha health department official.

The lifecare company will also give Rs 6 crore to set up an MRI scanning machine each at VSS and MKCG.

To turn the Cuttack-based cancer centre into a centre of excellence in the eastern part of the country, the Odisha government will soon send a proposal of Rs 150 crore for the Centre’s approval.

“As the number of patients in all the government-run healthcare institutions is increasing rapidly, we will also have to improve the infrastructure accordingly. Otherwise, it will be difficult for us to provide better healthcare to the state’s patients,” Mohapatra added.