Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will bring a new health policy soon in order to stop the brain drain of doctors and to address the issue of scarcity of doctors in the state, a Minister said today.

Hinting at setting up new medical colleges in Talcher, Puri and Sundergarh in the coming days, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das said the government will take all possible steps to retain its doctors who are now moving outside the state in search of greener pastures.

“The government will soon formulate a state health policy and set up new medical colleges to retain the doctors and to fill up vacant doctor posts in all government hospitals across the State,” Das said.

Expressing concern over a good number of doctors moving outside the state after completing their education on state government’s money, the Minister said steps will be taken to stop this practice as it greatly help to boost the healthcare system in the state.

This apart, the Health Minister also said that the government has started process to appoint a permanent Director of Sambalpur-based Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR). The post of Director at the premier medical college has been lying vacant since Dr Ashwini Pujhari resigned from the post following a controversy.

Dr Prakash Chanda Mahapatra, who was given the temporary charge of Director, retired last month.

It may be recalled here that Das had asked Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) to prepare a 100-days action plan for ensuring quality health service to all.

Efforts are on to make Odisha a surplus state in the field of doctors and paramedics, the Health Minister had said.