Bhubaneswar: In a landmark step towards strengthening healthcare for Employees' State Insurance (ESI) beneficiaries in eastern India, the Odisha government has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ESI Corporation to set up a full-fledged ESI Medical College and Hospital in the capital city.

The new institution will come up at Andharua on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, paving the way for advanced medical education and specialized healthcare under the ESI framework. As part of the arrangement, the state government has handed over the existing ESI Hospital at Chandrasekharpur to the Corporation, where initial operations of the medical college will begin.

Officials said the move will not only enhance medical facilities for insured workers and their families but also create opportunities for medical training and research in Odisha. The collaboration is expected to significantly improve access to quality healthcare, particularly for the working population covered under the ESI scheme.