Berhampur,18th Aug 2025: Even after 60 years of establishment, the Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur has been facing allegations of failing to provide advanced and modern healthcare services to patients. Serving not only South Odisha but also patients from across the state, this premier institution has lagged behind in certain key areas of modern medicine.
One of the glaring gaps is the absence of a Burn Care Unit, even after six decades. Burn patients are currently treated in the general surgery ward, and if necessary, they are referred to Cuttack.
In 2021, the then Chief Minister—who also represented this district—had announced the early establishment of a Burn Care Unit at MKCG. However, this promise has yet to materialize. Proposals have been made repeatedly, only to be shelved again.
Various organizations in South Odisha, including the Manav Adhikari Suraksha Mancha and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Multipurpose Association, have been demanding such a facility for years, but without any success.
Although MKCG is considered the lifeline of healthcare in South Odisha, burn patients still receive treatment under outdated systems. Despite crores of rupees being spent on constructing new buildings, patient care remains inadequate. The best example is that even after four years of the Chief Minister’s announcement, the Burn Care Unit remains only on paper.
The Mendharajpur tragedy of February 11, 2020, in which more than 10 people died of electrocution and over 20 were severely injured, exposed the inadequacy of burn treatment facilities at MKCG. Many critically injured patients died due to the lack of proper infrastructure, while others had to be shifted to Cuttack.
At that time, the government had recalled the urgent need for a Burn Care Unit at MKCG, and subsequently, CM Naveen Patnaik announced its establishment at the hospital. It was initially decided to set it up at the Super Speciality Block of the Surgery Department. Later, due to space constraints and other issues, the plan was shifted to a new location. A proposal was made to demolish old indoor wards and construct a new block where the Burn Care Unit would come up. But construction of the new indoor block has not yet started.
Speaking on the matter, MKCG Superintendent Prof. Dr. Durga Prasad Satapathy said that a Burn Care Unit is planned under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). He clarified that the hospital already has a plastic surgeon and available space, but certain infrastructural facilities and paramedical staff are still lacking. Efforts are underway to fill these gaps and start the Burn Care Unit soon.