The long wait to get registered, avail medicines and have various kinds of tests and diagnosis is a major challenge in the hospitals run by the State Government.

Similarly, lack of manpower, poor connectivity, both road and mobile, lack of information and awareness are also some of the challenges in the healthcare sector.

So, some district Collectors have opined that increase in number of registration counters, (at least 10 in District Headquarters Hospitals) will go a long way in sorting out the problem.

Similarly, Outpatient Department (OPD) services duration need to be increased from 9 am to 5 pm, so that more number of patients can be covered. Also, more diagnostic facilities under high ended pathology laboratories may be set up under Public Private Participatory (PPP) Mode to tackle the rush at counters.

And provision of 24X7 laboratory services at Sub Division and Community Health Centre level need to be made available.

So far as drug issues are concerned, fewer medicines are available and to overcome such problem, Essential Drug List (EDL) under Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) is needed to be revised and the number of medicines should also be increased.

Supply chain management of drugs is needed to be strengthened and it has been advised that 20 per cent Budget limit for local purchase of drugs is needed to be increased.

In order to meet paucity of doctor, it has been proposed that there should be further relaxation of age of doctors based on physical fitness and creation of separate cadre for Specialists and Super Specialists.

Campus placement for recruitment of doctors is needed and transit quarters in clusters of 3-4 Blocks with vehicle provision for pick up and drop facility can be planned.

In order to overcome lack of universal access to healthcare, increase in bed strength of various hospitals as per the population served is needed. As the remote areas are not having improved roads and mobile connectivity, these issues are needed to be taken care of.

Improved roads and mobile connectivity to the unreached areas and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and referral mechanism from remote areas and coordination of ‘Maa Gruhas’ to better facilitate institutional deliveries in remote areas are also needed.

Identifying vehicle points with empanelment of private vehicles is needed in remote areas. Besides, increase in number of 108 Ambulances and dedicated 108 for referral cases is required.