Cuttack, April 19: A high-level committee formed to pursue an Orissa High Court order has favoured the merger of the paediatric units at SCB Medical College and Hospital and Sardar Vallavbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics in Cuttack.

The paediatric units “will only be consolidated at Sardar Vallavbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics”. “It should not be construed as shifting,” the committee stated.

The committee said: “Paediatric care will be strengthened by this consolidation.”

The court is adjudicating on a dispute raised through a PIL on the state government’s decision to shift the SCB’s paediatric unit to Sishu Bhavan. High court lawyer Kanhayalal Sharma had filed the PIL.

The court had directed the state government to form a panel to submit opinion whether the decision on SCB’s paediatric unit would be in public interest. The government formed a three-member committee.

The division bench of Chief Justice A.K. Goel and Justice A.K. Rath adjourned the matter to April 22 for hearing along with rejoinder, if any, by the petitioner on the committee’s opinion.

The committee said: “Despite consolidation of paediatric care at Sishu Bhavan, the 24-bed Sick Newborn Care Unit and nine-bed paediatric casualty at SCB will continue to function there”.

“Paediatric patients visiting SCB will be shifted to Sishu Bhavan after their condition becomes stable. But, one faculty unit will be stationed at SCB,” the committee stated.

The court decided to take up the PIL for analogous hearing along with an intervention petition filed by postgraduate students of SCB and another PIL by SCBMCH students’ union, seeking a stay order and intervention against the government’s decision.