THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 4, 2026

In a landmark initiative aimed at revolutionising Odisha's healthcare ecosystem, the State Health and Family Welfare Department on Tuesday signed 10 strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading national healthcare, research, innovation and development organisations. The agreements, signed at Kharavela Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, are expected to significantly strengthen healthcare services, medical education, research, diagnostic quality and infrastructure across the state.

Describing the occasion as a "historic day for the Health Department," Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling said the partnerships mark a major step towards building a stronger and more accessible healthcare system under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The MoUs have been signed with prestigious institutions including AIIMS New Delhi, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Gujarat's i-Hub, Adani Group's Sevadan Arogya Foundation, Health System Transformation Platform, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, Quality Council of India (QCI), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Tata Steel Foundation, and Kaivalya Education Foundation.

Among the major outcomes of the collaborations, AIIMS New Delhi will support the development of advanced trauma care facilities in Odisha by establishing a Centre of Excellence in Trauma Care. AIIA will promote evidence-based Ayurveda and indigenous healthcare practices, while Gujarat's i-Hub will help foster innovation, startups and modern teaching methods in medical education.

The agreement with the Quality Council of India will facilitate NABL accreditation for laboratories in district headquarter hospitals, medical colleges and sub-divisional hospitals, improving the quality and credibility of diagnostic services across the state.

In a significant patient-centric initiative, Sevadan Arogya Foundation will establish attendants' rest houses in six government medical colleges and hospitals, providing safe and comfortable accommodation for patients' family members.

Another major healthcare intervention will come through the partnership with Amrita Hospital, Kochi, under which children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) will receive free screening, surgeries, interventional cardiac procedures, post-operative care and long-term follow-up treatment. Special screening camps will also be organised in remote areas to identify affected children at an early stage.

The collaboration with the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation will facilitate the creation of a climate-smart scientific drug warehousing network to modernise medicine storage and distribution in Odisha. Additionally, Project Swasth, implemented in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation and Kaivalya Education Foundation, is expected to strengthen public healthcare delivery through improvements in services, research and institutional capacity.

Adding another milestone to the day's achievements, the Health Minister virtually inaugurated the upgraded Tele-MANAS facility at the Institute of Mental Health, SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The enhanced digital infrastructure will enable people across Odisha, particularly those in remote regions, to access mental health counselling, psychological support and specialist guidance over telephone without visiting hospitals.

Senior government officials, including Health Department Principal Secretary Aswathy S., National Health Mission Managing Director Dr. Brunda D., representatives of partner institutions and senior Health Department officials attended the event.