5,000 doctor vacancies will be filled, says CM

Puri: The Odisha government will soon fill 5,000 doctor vacancies, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said. Speaking at the 9th National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare System in Puri, Majhi said Odisha is committed to building a healthier and more equitable future for its citizens.

The Chief Minister highlighted the recent appointment of 3,537 healthcare personnel across the State and shared plans to fill 5,000 vacant doctor positions. He also announced that eight new nursing colleges will be established to strengthen the healthcare workforce.

Additionally, two new medical colleges will be opened in Phulbani and Angul during the 2025-26 academic year along with four dental colleges soon. Majhi said Odisha will convert its 7,358 Urban and Rural PHCs and Sub-Centres into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Moreover, new buildings for 1,338 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will be constructed in the next financial year.

“Our vision for Sustha Odisha is inspired by the timeless Sanskrit verse “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu” (may all be happy, may all be free from illness), the Chief Minister said.

He said a significant milestone in Odisha’s healthcare journey will be the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana alongside the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana enabling citizens to access affordable and quality healthcare services at 29,000 empanelled government and private hospitals across the nation.

Majhi said the initiative will benefit all citizens, including migrant workers, and strengthen the State’s healthcare and economic ecosystem by integrating Odisha into the national healthcare system.