Bhubaneswar: The state government has extended the period of the ‘Patients’ Facilitation Center’ opened in Visakhapatnam for another year (2023-24). For this, an aid of Rs. 10 lakh has been provided from the Chief Minister’s relief fund.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved this proposal today. With this, the Chief Minister said that the poor and tribals traveling from Malkangiri to Visakhapatnam will continue to benefit for availing treatment.
It is worth noting that the state government has set up a Patients’ Facilitation Center in Visakhapatnam since 2016. As Visakhapatnam is very close to Malkangiri district and high quality medical facilities is available there, most of the patients from the district prefer to go to Visakhapatnam for treatment.
At the Patients’ Facilitation Center, they are provided with free accommodation and food. Between 2016 and 2022, the state government has provided assistance of Rs. 55 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to this relief center. Rs 25 lakh in 2016 and Rs 10 lakh each in 2020, 2021 and 2022 has been provided to keep the centre functional.
