Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Phulbani, is the newest government medical college in Odisha — a landmark institution for Kandhamal district and the tribal heartland of Odisha's interior. The college was announced by the previous BJD government and the decision to construct it was approved by the Odisha Cabinet in December 2020, recognizing the acute shortage of healthcare infrastructure in one of Odisha's most historically marginalized and predominantly tribal-majority districts. Built at a total project cost of ₹548 crore on a 50-acre campus at Tilakpada, Phulbani, the college and its attached 650-bed hospital were inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on June 7, 2025, during a high-profile event also including several other development projects worth ₹750 crore for Kandhamal district. Kandhamal district, known for its dense forests, Kondh tribal majority population, cashew cultivation, and the unfortunate communal violence of 2007-08, has always been among Odisha's most underserved districts in terms of healthcare infrastructure. Prior to the establishment of GMCH Phulbani, patients requiring specialist care had to travel to Berhampur (approximately 170 km south) or Cuttack (approximately 230 km northeast) — a journey that was physically challenging and often financially prohibitive for the tribal communities of the district. The Government of Odisha decided to establish this medical college with the explicit goal of improving healthcare access for the people of Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Kalahandi districts, as stated by CM Majhi at the inauguration. The NMC granted formal approval for 100 MBBS seats in September 2025 for the academic year 2025-26 — making GMCH Phulbani among the very latest additions to Odisha's medical education ecosystem. The State Health Minister confirmed at the inauguration that MBBS admissions would commence from AY 2025-26 itself. Dean and Principal Prof. Dr. Debaprasad Mohanty is leading the institution through its critical establishment phase. The attached teaching hospital at GMCH Phulbani has 650 beds — a significantly larger hospital than many recently established government medical colleges in Odisha, reflecting the state's ambition to provide genuinely comprehensive tertiary healthcare to the Kandhamal region. The hospital is designed to cover all major clinical specialties across OPD, IPD, emergency, ICU, SNCU, operation theatres, diagnostic labs, blood bank, and pharmacy — providing the full range of clinical training exposure required for NMC-compliant MBBS education. The 50-acre campus provides ample space for the academic building, hospital, hostels, faculty quarters, and future expansion. With the addition of 100 MBBS seats at GMCH Phulbani (alongside 100 at Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College, Talcher), Odisha's total MBBS capacity rose to 2,650 seats — reflecting the state's ambitious goal of establishing medical colleges in all 30 districts.