In a decisive push to elevate healthcare delivery across Odisha, Health Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aswathy S. chaired a high-level review meeting at the Health Department conference hall today.
The session focused on making health services more robust, ensuring quality treatment at every level, and preparing the state for the challenges of the approaching monsoon season.
Senior officials, including National Health Mission Managing Director Dr Brunda D., Independent Secretary Dr Bijay Mohapatra, all departmental health directors, additional secretaries, and senior officers, attended in person. Medical college deans, hospital superintendents, district chief medical and public health officers, and district-level health officials joined virtually, ensuring comprehensive representation from every corner of the state.
Detailed discussions covered ground-level health services, ongoing disease control programs, attendance of doctors and paramedical staff, availability of essential medicines, and hospital infrastructure upgrades. Secretary Aswathy S. directed immediate proactive steps for the monsoon, stressing advance preparedness to prevent outbreaks.
Highlighting recent incidents of food poisoning and jaundice in some areas, she instructed food inspectors to intensify field surveillance and submit prompt reports to district collectors. All district administrations and health officers were urged to stay alert, deliver timely and high-quality care to citizens, and further strengthen pre-monsoon disease control measures.
The meeting also reviewed key programs, including maternal and child health, vaccination drives, Ayushman Bharat, Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana, Ayush initiatives, public grievance redressal, PM relief schemes, fire safety protocols, sector meetings, and child health campaigns. Every medical institution was directed to prioritise patient convenience and comfort.
In a forward-looking directive, Secretary Aswathy S. emphasised the use of AI-based monitoring for officer attendance and called for strict compliance. She urged all officials to function as a unified team, reaffirming the Health Department’s unwavering commitment to providing improved, accessible, and people-centric healthcare services to every resident of Odisha.
