Sajnagad: Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi Monday made a surprise visit to Nilagiri sub-divisional hospital in Balasore district.
The minister visited the hospital without prior intimation in the wake of reports of inadequate facilities at the hospital. During his visit, Sarangi interacted with the patients and their relatives about the health-care services, quality of food served in the hospital and heard their suggestions.
A few patients complained that doctors were not visiting inmates regularly at night while others said they had not been provided beds. They further alleged that the doctors at the hospital are in the habit of taking leave without mentioning the reason.
Pratap observed that some staffers had absented from duty without seeking leave. During his visit to the wards, he learned that there is shortage of doctors in Medicine and Anaesthesia wards, which severely affected health-care in the hospital.
Sarangi also received complaints about misconduct of hospital staff and lack of sanitation in the wards. He instructed Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy to improve the health-care in the district and warned officials and doctors of disciplinary action if they neglected their work.
Sarangi later told reporters that Nilagiri is a tribal-dominated area where the residents are poor and depend on this hospital. He assured the locals that he would discuss with Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to improve health-care in the region.
PNN