Odisha Announces New Medical Colleges in Jagatsinghpur, Dhenkanal
Odisha- In a significant move to bolster healthcare and medical education in Odisha, the state government has announced plans for two new medical colleges — one in the Jagatsinghpur district and the other in Dhenkanal.
The announcement for the Jagatsinghpur Institute was made by Odisha’s Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Krishna Chandra Patra, who highlighted that medical colleges were long-standing demands of the residents in these regions.
This initiative is part of the state government's ongoing efforts to improve the healthcare infrastructure and address the shortage of medical professionals.
The new institutions will focus on enhancing medical education and improving the local healthcare systems. The medical college in Dhenkanal will begin by offering an MBBS programme, with plans for future expansion across 20 acres of land, while the one in Jagatsinghpur is expected to similarly strengthen the state’s healthcare capacity and provide more opportunities for medical students.
After announcing the establishment of a new medical college in the Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha a few days ago, the state has unveiled plans for a medical college in Dhenkanal, Odisha
The announcement was made recently during a press conference highlighting efforts to tackle the shortage of medical professionals at the district headquarters hospital. Along with this, an additional 20 acres of land has been earmarked for the future development of the medical campus, which aims to enhance healthcare education in the region.
The operationalisation of this institution is expected to strengthen the local healthcare system significantly. It aims to enhance medical education and improve the availability of healthcare professionals in Dhenkanal, thereby addressing the critical doctor-patient ratio.
In this regard, speaking to OdishaTV, Krishna Chandra Patra informed that “The medical college will begin operations by training undergraduate medical students in the MBBS programme initially. Later, there are plans to extend the college infrastructure over an additional 20 acres of land in the vicinity, broadening its scope and capacity for medical education”.
He further added “Odisha government has allocated necessary budget for a Medical College and Hospital in Dhenkanal. This was our Election promise. Now that BJP has formed government, we will fulfill our promise.
Moreover, on March 29, 2025, during a discussion on the Appropriation Bill in the Assembly, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi revealed that the government will set up a medical college in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district.
At present there are a total of 13 government medical colleges in Odisha. These medical colleges are affiliated to the Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS).
