Baripada: Lack of infrastructure has left the Mayurbhanj Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital (MHMCH) paralysed at Baripada.
The Ayush Ministry, citing this reason, has imposed restrictions on admission to this medical college in 2016-17. On the other hand, the 40-year-old college has been functioning without any government aid.
The management of the college sought permission from the Ayush Ministry to start admission in its courses in 2018-19 academic session.
However, the Ayush Ministry had asked the state government to submit an undertaking so that the medical college can be allowed for admission.
However, the health department made it clear to the Ayush Ministry that permission to allow admission to this medical college may be considered without any undertaking.
In such a situation, one of the oldest medical institutes in north Odisha is likely to lose its existence, locals fear.
Reports said the medical college has been a victim of years of mismanagement and official laxity.
The private college is recognised by the state government and is affiliated to the North Orissa University. Notably, the Collector is the president of the college management.
In 1980, Dr Gourachandra Giri, a homoeopathic doctor, with help of some social activists and homoeopathic doctors founded the college in the form of a private clinic near Baghra Road bus-stand. Later, it functioned for sometime at Pandey ME School and then on the premises of the district headquarters hospital. Now, the college is at Manchabandh.
It used to offer a four-and-a-half-year course in Bachelor in Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) with 30 seats. Scores of students from West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand have passed out from this college.
Dr Uttam Kumar Das says, “Over 500 students have passed out from the college. Many of them are working in different parts of the state as Ayush doctors.”
The homoeopathic college has an outdoor ward where over 50 patients are treated every day. After stoppage of admission, the college has been lying closed, he added.
The college has a dozen departments equipped with adequate modern instruments and technical equipment besides a big herbal garden and girls’ and boys’ hostels.
Locals alleged that even though the institute has the basic infrastructure, the state government has not yet taken it over.
Superintendent of the medical college Dr Debkumar Das said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had assured to consider the demand to accord government status to the medical college ahead of the elections.
Mayurbhanj Citizens’ Forum had discussed the issue with the Chief Minister at Naveen Nivas in 2018.
Dr Saroj Kumar Nath, an alumnus, said government takeover of the medical college was one of the main poll agenda. The college can be revived if the state government considers the demand for the takeover, he noted.
PNN