Bhubaneswar: Even though the Odisha government had proposed to establish a public health university in the state in 2012, the proposal is yet to take any concrete action.
The state government had signed a memorandum of understanding with city-based Asian Institute of Public Health (AIPH) for setting up the university on public private partnership (PPP) mode in April 2013.
Four years after government approval, the state government has initiated steps to set up the public health university, which was touted to be the first in the country.
“We have received certain compliances from AIPH about setting up the University in Bhubaneswar. The Health Department has asked the Higher Education Department to examine the compliance report,” said a senior official of Health Department.
The matter would be placed in the committee of experts at the next meeting to examine the compliance report and proposal of AIPH for the establishment of the proposed public health university.
The state government has allocated 50 acres of land for the proposed university at Gramdiha on the city’s suburbs. Rs 100 crore will be invested initially for the university.
AIPH will establish the University in collaboration with US-based University of Nebraska Medical Centre.