Bargarh: With a new district headquarters hospital (DHH) coming up at Khedapali (Tukurla), around eight kilometres from the town one-and-a-half years ago, the old DHH has lost its importance here.
Till the time the new DHH became functional, the old DHH had been in its prime. After the new DHH came up and started functioning, the old DHH has been subjected to step-motherly treatment. It has been renamed as Urban CHC. Though the old signboard is still in place at its entrance, declaring it as the DHH, it has long lost the facilities associated with a DHH. Today the old DHH has endless problems starting from shortage of doctors and staff and lack of infrastructure, which is affecting the healthcare services here.
Apart from residents of Bargarh district, people from neighbouring districts of Sonepur and Bolangir and some parts of Chhattisgarh depend on this DHH. The DHH was shifted to the new DHH in January last year. At the same time, the doctors and staff working at the old DHH were also shifted there.
It was then feared that the government was mulling to complete shifting of the old DHH. Soon, widespread protests and demonstration were staged, opposing the government’s plan. Following this, the government had to announce the old DHH as an Urban CHC.
Earlier there used to be 100 beds at the old DHH. The number of beds has now been reduced to 30 with the declaration of Urban CHC. But there was no decrease in the number of patients visiting the old DHH. Even today, patients in good numbers are visiting the facility on a daily basis. Most of them are seen leaving the premises complaining about the poor healthcare facilities.
As per the Health and Family Welfare department’s recent announcement, the old DHH has 23 sanctioned posts, including one medical superintendent, one gynecologist, one pediatrician, one orthopedic, five leave training reserve medical officers, one dental surgeon, one public health emergency officer, two pharmacists, three staff nurses, one male and one female multipurpose health worker, one laboratory technician, one radiographer and one junior clerk. Presently, all these posts are lying vacant.
Now six doctors, who are on deputation, are managing the show. Similarly, barring minor tests like blood and urine, facilities for all other emergency tests are unavailable at the old DHH. People also complain that some essential medicines, including anti-rabies vaccine, are not available at the facility. Owing to this, a common patient has to spend more to get the treatment that he would have received free of cost.
Expectant mothers who visit to this facility are the worst sufferers. Since no surgical delivery is being done here, they either have to go the new DHH or VIMSAR in Burla. In such cases, it often proves to be life threatening for both the mother and her newborn baby.
In a recent case, when treatment to a woman and her newborn baby was denied at the old DHH, her family members had to rush them to VIMSAR, Burla. There, the newborn died. It has been discussed in the locality that such incidents are being reported on a regular basis.
The generator of the hospital is also not functional. Hence, in case of power failure, patients spend nights in darkness.
According to Ramesh Mohapatra of Hospital Banchao Abhiyan, the officials had assured them the appointment of doctors, medical staff and other employees and proving associated facilities at the old DHH at the time of announcing it as Urban CHC. But it has turned out to be a hollow assurance. “We had to launch the Hospital Banchao Abhiyan again and resort to agitation,” he added.
When contacted, Bargarh MLA Debesh Acharya said the state government’s top priority is to provide health service to one and all. “I have discussed the issue with the CDMO and ADMO July 17. All the facilities, including surgical delivery, will be available at the Urban CHC soon,” he informed.
PNN