Jharsuguda: Bringing relief to thousands of local residents of Jharsuguda Town, Odisha Health Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling inaugurated the Old District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Mangal Bazar on Thursday, now fully functional as a satellite hospital. The event marked a key milestone in fulfilling one of the core electoral promises made by local MLA Tankadhar Tripathy during the 2024 Assembly elections.
“This is a government of the people, and we are committed to keeping every promise we made. Out of 21 commitments declared in the manifesto, 11 have already been achieved within a year,” said Dr Mukesh Mahaling during the inauguration ceremony. He emphasised that reopening the hospital was a matter of great emotional significance for the people of Jharsuguda, and the move would significantly enhance local healthcare access.
The Mangal Bazar hospital had remained shut since the District Headquarters Hospital was shifted to New Building to Malimunda, nearly 8 km from the town, during the previous government’s tenure. The then Health Minister and local MLA had promised to convert the original facility into a city hospital—a promise that was never fulfilled.
Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy said “This hospital is not just a hospital—it is a symbol of trust and belonging for the people. The BJP’s double-engine government has restored that trust,” he said, adding that the hospital will now offer 24×7 medical services, with specialist doctors and a dedicated ambulance service available round-the-clock.
The initiative to reopen the hospital was supported by Vedanta, whose CEO Sunil Gupta was also present at the event.
Gupta expressed pride in Vedanta’s contribution, stating, “This is a proud moment for us. Vedanta is committed to Jharsuguda’s all-round development.” He further announced that, based on a request from the MLA, Vedanta would facilitate monthly visits by cancer specialists from Raipur’s Balco Cancer Hospital to serve local patients.
District Collector Aboli Sunil Naravane, Northern Range IG Himanshu Lal, SP Smit P Parmar, and Raghunandan Panda, representative of Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief District Medical Officer Dr. Mahesh Mohan Panda were present.
