Cuttack: At a time when the state government is focusing on quality healthcare and aiming at transforming Sriram Chandra Bhanj (SCB) Medical College and Hospital here into a world-class health facility, shortage of medicines at the Niramaya centres on the hospital premises have sparked concern.
Resentment brewed among patients and attendants at the premier state-run hospital when Orthopaedic medicines went out of the shelves at these government stores which dispense drug free of cost.
Patients have alleged that medicines prescribed by Orthopaedic department physicians are unavailable at the Niramaya centres for quite some time. Some patients and attendants alleged that they have been standing in long queues in front of the Niramaya centres for hours since Friday, but they have to return empty-handed.
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Although there are six Niramaya centres on SCB premises, none of them are having medicines for Orthopaedic patients. The development comes in the wake of state government’s purported focus on quality healthcare and its vision to transform SCB into a worldclass hospital. Litan Maharana, attendant of a patient at Orthopaedic department, said, “We are facing a lot of difficulties as not a single Niramaya centre here has the medicines prescribed by the Orthopaedic department. Since we have come from Dhenkanal, we cannot go home without medicines. I don’t know how long I have to wait.”
Significantly, earlier allegations had surfaced regarding non-availability of medicines for cardiology and ENT patients. SCBMCH superintendent in charge Lusi Das was not available for comments.
PNN