Odisha: Install card swipe machines in hospitals directs Govt

The Odisha government asked the district collectors to facilitate installing credit and debit card swipe machines in different health institutions for smooth transactions.

The move of the government came after patients and attendants faced problems following the demonetisation of higher denominations.

In a letter to the district collectors, Health Secretary Arti Ahuja asked them to install card swipe machines in medical colleges, district headquarters hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals with a proper tie-up with banks and proper receipt mechanism.

"In order to facilitate cashless transactions in different health facilities, it is necessary to procure and install credit/debit card readers at the payment counter in different health institutions," said the health secretary.

Sources said in the absence of adequate cash in hand, people are facing problems at the government hospitals as most of them do not have card swipe machines for cashless transactions.