The inhabitants' long-standing desire for cutting-edge medical services has mostly gone unfulfilled as the AIIMS Satellite Centre in Balasore is still not completely operating four years after it opened.
Currently, the satellite center only operates two days a week and provides limited outpatient department (OPD) services. Critically ill patients must travel to Bhubaneswar or other far-off locations for specialized medical care because indoor treatment facilities are still inadequate. Due to the lack of specialized physicians, a number of departments are still non-operational.
Gaps in Staffing and Infrastructure
Basic amenities including pharmacies and labs are still not operational. Concerns about the lack of regularly posted doctors have also been voiced by patients, who claim that frequent changes in attending physicians have an impact on treatment quality and continuity of care.In 2020, when it started operating, the center served about 8,550 patients, according to official figures. With just 440 patients attending the OPD by February 2025, patient foot traffic has drastically decreased over time, indicating growing public discontent with the little services offered.

The complaints of individuals seeking follow-up care have been exacerbated by allegations that AIIMS Bhubaneswar is not acknowledging patient registrations at the Balasore satellite center.
Locals have voiced their dissatisfaction over the protracted delay in the center's operationalization, pointing out that a fully operational facility would benefit both the neighboring districts of West Bengal and northern Odisha.Another citizen, Sheikh Sarfadin, expressed a similar opinion, saying, "The satellite center exists only on paper." Building construction is useless without the appointment of physicians. We demand that the government take the appropriate action.
Similar worries were voiced by Gouranga Panigrahi, a member of the Government Medical Coordination Committee, who claimed that the constant drop in patient numbers was caused by the OPD services being restricted to Fridays and Saturdays as well as the lack of diagnostic facilities.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar's guarantee
The Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Dillip Kumar Parida, responded to the criticism by promising that the Balasore Satellite Center will soon be fully operational. He stated that after the ongoing hiring process is over, full healthcare services will start."The satellite center was set up without hiring additional personnel to run it. The facility is anticipated to be completely operating within the next three months, and we have started the recruitment process," Parida stated.

Despite the assurance, many are still waiting, wondering when Balasore's promise of easily accessible and cutting-edge healthcare would be realized.