Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is going to set up nine new medical colleges in the State, informed Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling on Tuesday. Of the nine, four will be dental medical colleges and one Ayurvedic institute.

“We have decided to set up four MBBS colleges at Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal and Nabarangpur districts, four dental colleges at Burla, Berhampur, Bolangir and Keonjhar, besides an Ayurvedic college in Mayurbhanj district,” Mahaling told mediapersons.

Besides, the new medical colleges with 100 MBBS seats each at Phulbani in Kandhamal district and Talcher in Angul district will start functioning from the current academic year, he said.

On June 7, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had inaugurated a 100-seat government medical college and a 650-bed hospital at Phulbani. “This medical college in Kandhamal will also provide quality health service to the people of nearby districts like Nayagarh, Boudh and Kalahandi.

This 100-seat medical college will help meet the doctor shortage in the State. This will also act as a powerful engine for local employment, research and economic development,” the Chief Minister had said. Majhi had said that the people of this region had to travel to Berhampur or Cuttack to avail better health care. Now, they will get a similar healthcare facility at their place.

Mahaling thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Majhi for approving the new medical colleges for Odisha, which will help meet the required number of doctors in the State.

Mahaling was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the maiden Healthcare Summit 2025 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here. In his address at the event, the minister emphasised the State’s commitment to enhance healthcare infrastructure and medical education. He informed the gathering about the recruitment of over 4,000 doctors and paramedical staff last year and plans to recruit more than 5,000 medical personnel this year.

Efforts will be made to fill up 1.5 lakh vacant government posts within five years, the minister said.

Sunil Gupta, chairman of CII Odisha State Council, underscored Odisha’s growing role in the national healthcare landscape and the importance of public-private partnerships in driving future growth.