Bhubaneswar, Feb 22 (IANS): The Odisha government has decided to set up eight new urban primary health centres (UHPC) in different districts of the state under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).

A notification issued by the state health and family welfare department said on Wednesday, "The UHPCs will be set up at Jajpur and Vyasanagar in Jajpur district, Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, Malkangiri district town, Soro in Balasore, Rajagangpur in Sundargarh, Talcher in Angul and Cuttack city."

The state government has also decided to transform 147 health facilities into high-case load facilities in the first phase under the 5T initiative 'Ama Hospital' by October this year.

The district collector will implement the scheme with the assistance of the district level committee (DLC) which will develop the estimates through the experts of the line department.

The collectors have been empowered to sanction civil works up to Rs 4 crore for non-residential works and approve the procurement of goods up to Rs 25 lakh for redevelopment of the identified 147 hospitals, the health department said.

The districts having access to Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) and District Mineral Foundation (DMF) can utilise the funds from the two sources for execution of the 'Ama Hospital' scheme, the department said.

Funds for implementation of the scheme will be provided out of the state budget, which will be placed with district collectors of non-DMF districts, it said.