Puri: Poor healthcare facilities and sanitation at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here has created resentment among patients, attendants and common people.
It has been alleged that a minor and a five-month-old baby died at the DHH recently due to medical negligence.
Locals have claimed that patients are being forced to wait for hours at the registration counter and outpatient department (OPD) of the DHH to get the healthcare services. “The hospital authorities have failed to open a few more registration counters for the welfare of patients. Absence of doctors at the OPD is the main cause for long queues at the hospital,” said BJP youth wing leader Jayanta Kumar Dash.
According to Dash, locals have urged the DHH authorities to arrange more beds at the casualty ward of the OPD, but to no avail. “Many people injured in road accidents and other mishaps usually come to the DHH. However, the casualty ward has only four beds. We are planning to stage a sit-in at the office of the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) if the authorities do not take immediate steps to arrange additional six beds at the casualty ward,” Dash said.
Social activist Satyakam Sahu, meanwhile, alleged that patients are facing problems to get quick services at the pathology laboratories of the DHH. “Employees of the patho labs do not turn up on time. Patients are being forced to wait for hours to get blood test reports and other reports,” Sahu said.
Sujit Pradhan, an attendant from Brahmagiri, claimed that the DHH authorities have failed to ensure proper sanitation and hygiene at several wards. “The lavatories at the hospital are not being cleaned regularly. Foul smell emanating from the toilets is causing inconvenience to patients and attendants,” Pradhan said.
Some attendants also alleged that the DHH does not have uninterrupted drinking water supply. People visiting the hospital usually face problem to get drinking water, they claimed.
According to locals, the lift facility at the maternity and childcare centre of the DHH has been lying defunct for last several days. “A freezer at the autopsy room of the hospital had developed some technical snags around five months ago. The authorities are yet to repair the freezer,” claimed a source.
CDMO (in-charge) Biraja Rath said they have written to a private firm to repair the defunct lift at the maternity and childcare centre. “We are taking steps to solve all the issues of the DHH in phases,” Rath added.
Cong demo over baby death
Puri: A group of Youth Congress activists Friday locked the office of the CDMO and staged a dharna at the DHH here to protest the death of a five-month-old baby allegedly due to medical negligence Wednesday. The agitators led by Alok Kumar Dash, Ashutosh Mishra and Manoj Mandal sought stern action against the errant doctors and health staff and proper compensation to the baby’s family. On being informed, city deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Khira Sagar Nayak and officials of Kumbharapada police station reached the spot and held discussions with the agitators. The district administration, meanwhile, promised the agitators to provide Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund to the baby’s family. CDMO (in-charge) Biraja Rath, meanwhile, said that the hospital authorities would start a probe into the alleged incident. “The healthcare facilities at the DHH are deteriorating by the day. A minor from Brahmagiri and a five-month-old baby died at the hospital recently due to medical negligence. Some doctors and health staffers are seeking money to provide healthcare to pregnant women and children,” Dash said.