Odisha govt signs MoU for 102 digital dispensaries in 23 districts

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Glocal Healthcare Systems for operation and management of 102 digital dispensaries in 23 districts.

This will bring primary health services to the doorsteps of the people in remote areas.

Chief Minister Naveen Patanaik and Health Minister Pratap Jena were present during the signing of the MoU.

In remote areas of the State, where it is often difficult for people to access doctors, especially for minor ailments, the State government has harnessed the power of technology to bring the services of an MBBS doctor and primary healthcare to the doorsteps of the people through digital dispensaries.

Each digital dispensary has provision for an MBBS doctor consultation through video conference facility. In addition, a Pharmacist, Nurse, Laboratory Assistant and Support staff are in place in each dispensary, said a release.

The dispensaries are equipped with minimum set of investigations such as routine testing of urine, blood, haemoglobin, blood sugar, malaria, dengue, BP, ECG, sPO2, pregnancy detection etc and a Pharmacy facility with dispensing of Generic Medicine, it said.

All these services are provided free of cost to the people, under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.

In the pilot phase, the project was implemented in 25 Locations of Nabarangpur district and 5 locations of Keonjhar district, in partnership mode with Glocal Healthcare Systems (P) Ltd. Till date, over one lakh patients have availed services from these Digital Dispensaries.

In view of the success of the of Digital Dispensaries in the pilot phase, the Government of Odisha has decided to scale up the model to another102 locations across 23 districts of the State.

The districts are Angul, Balasore, Baragarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Cuttack, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh.