Bhubaneswar, Dec 30 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday directed health department officials to ensure free medical care for an ailing minor boy from Boudh district, who had come to his grievance cell.

The boy, identified as Pratyush Giri from Boudh district, is suffering from a rare disease, resulting in loss of eyesight. He has been suffering from the ailment for the last seven years, and it was difficult to bear the expenditure to treat him in a good healthcare facility, said Pratyush's father Hembram Giri.

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“Many hospitals refused to treat him on our health insurance card. So, we came here to the Chief Minister's Grievance Cell. The CM assured us of providing all required medical care,” his mother said.

Majhi also arranged for an ambulance and sent the minor to Capital Hospital, from where he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.

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“The minor boy was in a critical condition. He is suffering from a rare disease. I have never seen any person suffering from such a disease in my life,” the CM told reporters.

Majhi said he has instructed Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling and the health secretary to make arrangements for the boy's treatment.

The state government will bear all his healthcare expenses and if required, money will be released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF), he said.

The CM said he started hearing public grievances from July 1 this year.

So far, “more than 8,000 individuals or groups” have registered their grievances with the cell, and issues of over 30,000 people were heard, Majhi said.

“The grievance disposal rate was 78 per cent in the first six days, while one grievance was disposed on the spot on Monday,” he said.

Majhi also claimed that his predecessor had not visited the grievance cell in the last 16 years.

“The new government has taken public grievance hearing seriously, and it will ensure that not a single grievance is put in the dustbin,” he asserted.

The public grievance cell will be extended to different parts of the state, the chief minister said, adding, a camp office has already been opened in Keonjhar district.

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