Sambalpur, Sept.16: The VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla is planning to use the district headquarters hospital as an extension of its Out Patient Department (OPD).

Authority of the VSS has applied to the state government for an increase in the MBBS seats of its college from 150 to 250. According to the norms, a medical college hospital with 250 MBBS seats should have 3,000 patients and there must be the OPD facilities on a daily basis. It is for this reason that the VSS is planning to extend its OPD facility to the district hospital.

“We have applied to increase the MBBS seats of the college from 150 to 250. However, at present, the inflow of patients to VSS is around 1,500. But, if an extension of the hospital’s OPD functions at the district headquarters hospital in Sambalpur, the numbers of patients will definitely increase,” said VSS principal Santosh Behera.

He said the matter had also been discussed during a review meeting of the medical colleges with health minister Damodar Rout.

“If the hospital’s OPD functions at Sambalpur district headquarters hospital, the patients visiting the district hospital may avail themselves of super-specialty health service such as nephrology, urology and cardiology in Sambalpur. Moreover, the number of patients will definitely increase,” said a Sambalpur health activist, Sudheer Pujari.

On the current inflow of patient to the VSS, Pujari said: “Accessibility remains a major problem to the patients of VSS. The bus service to Burla is also very poor. The government should also think of improving the communication to Burla. If the communication is improved, the patients’ inflow to the OPD at Burla will definitely increase.”