VIMSAR Super Speciality Building Inauguration Postponed Once Again

Sambalpur: The much-anticipated inauguration of the super specialty building at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla has been postponed for the third time, further straining the region’s healthcare system.

The event, originally scheduled for March 22, was postponed due to the cancellation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit. The two prior delays occurred on November 18 and December 29 of last year.

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Medical dialogues had previously reported that the Odisha State Government has recently given approval for 5 super specialty hospitals to open at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla. The new departments that will soon be functional are Endocrinology, Plastic Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Gastroenterology, and Clinical Haematology.

The state-of-the-art facility, a 222-bed building, including 50 beds dedicated to intensive care, was designed to enhance VIMSAR's existing medical infrastructure. The new facility is set to house nine specialized medical departments, five of which are new, including gastroenterology, clinical hematology, endocrinology, plastic surgery, and pediatric surgery. The four existing departments—neurology, neurosurgery, urology, and nephrology—will continue operations in the new building as well. To further strengthen services, additional doctors have been appointed for these specialized departments.

Currently, VIMSCAR, which is expected to serve thousands of people from Western Odisha, is grappling with a lack of resources, especially in the ICU. With just 20 ICU beds, the facility struggles to accommodate patients in critical condition. The addition of 50 ICU beds would have gone a long way in alleviating this pressure.

Another critical aspect of the new building is its provision for the nephrology department. The five existing dialysis units will be supplemented with 12 additional units, significantly improving the quality of care for patients suffering from kidney-related ailments.

However, the prolonged delays have placed an additional burden on patients. With the new building still non-operational, many patients have been forced to seek treatment at private hospitals, incurring higher out-of-pocket expenses.

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The super specialty building project, which began in 2014, was envisioned as a state-of-the-art medical facility designed to meet the region's growing healthcare needs. However, the continuous delays have sparked widespread criticism.

According to TNIE, with the region’s healthcare system already stretched thin, stakeholders have urged authorities to expedite the building’s opening, even without a high-profile political inauguration. Local residents have suggested a virtual inauguration to make the building functional at the earliest.