In a move aimed at making healthcare services in Odisha more effective and more transparent, the state government has started an initiative to widen the use of social media by health institutions across the state.
While major health institutions such as medical colleges, big hospitals and blood banks have been directed to widen their use of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, other such institutions are being asked to get linked to the social media.
The move, being spearheaded by health and family welfare minister Naba Kishore Das, is part of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s revamped governance framework in the ruling Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) fifth consecutive term in power. CM’s constant stress on the ‘5Ts’ (Team Work, Technology, Transparency, Time Limit and Transformation) for successful pro-people governance has been behind the latest initiative, said officials.
“It is absolutely essential to link the health department to social media. Poor ordinary citizens in Odisha now will not have to make a telephone call to anyone for issues related to health services. They can use the social media to reach the department about whatever difficulties they face or the insufficiencies they notice,” said Das.
The minister clarified that the social media initiative is right now on a trial basis. “We are first linking major health institutions like medical colleges, big hospitals and blood banks to social media. Then the CHCs (community health centres) will be linked, followed by the PHCs (primary health centres),” he added.