A doctor is BJP’s prescription for success in Odisha
After attending to patients, some of whom have come from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, till the evening on Thursday, Dr. Purna Chandra Mohapatra, a retired professor from SCB Medical College, Cuttack, nally sat down for lunch. It is not uncommon for him to have lunch this late as his breaks depend on the number of patients.
Dr. Mohapatra, 68, a gynaecologist, is the BJP’s candidate for the CuttackBarabati Assembly seat. For decades, he has had to make do with only three to
It is time to serve society as a policymaker, says Dr. Purna Mohapatra. four hours of sleep as patient care kept him busy. It still does.
He doesn’t charge any fee for outpatient services.
After the BJP elded Dr. Mohapatra, political observers in the State began wondering if his transition into politics would be at the cost of patient care.
When The Hindu asked Dr. Mohapatra the same, he said, “I have dedicated my life to patient care. Now, it is time to serve society in a broader capacity as a policymaker.”
Dr. Mohapatra has chosen the BJP in order to align with a national party. The party too is banking on his popularity.
Dr. Mohapatra had been the president of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society of India.
He has spearheaded multiple innovation initiatives for women’s health in
India, including gynaecological endoscopy. His patient register says he has treated 1.40 lakh patients since 2019.
Asked if his decadeslong medical practice would translate into votes, Dr. Mohapatra said, “I am sure the goodwill would certainly help.” Recently, when he toured di erent parts of Cuttack, Dr. Mohapatra was mobbed by women who sought medical advice.
“At Baghei village, villagers lined up 20 women and youths. They told me they were alive because of me. What could be a bigger reward than this?” he said.