Closed ENT unit at Puri DHH sparks resentment

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Puri: Arjun Sahu, a resident of Astarang, stood in the queue at the OPD, got his appointment ticket and proceeded to the ENT to have his son checked for pus in the ear.
That’s standard operating procedure at the Puri district headquarters hospital (DHH).
To his surprise though, on reaching the ENT department, he found it was locked with a piece of paper hanging outside announcing the closure.
Sahu was not alone. Scores of others having spent precious time standing in the queue and obtaining their tickets in the hope of availing treatment for their ailments had to finally return dejected.
It’s all thanks to the hospital authorities, for they haven’t thought of informing about the unit being closed at the first post, the OPD, forcing the patients to go through the entire rigmarole.
This has been going on for the past two weeks. Sources said the unit has remained closed because its only doctor is away on leave.
The notice hanging outside the unit says it will remain closed through June.
In the past one week alone, around 50 patients have returned, availing no treatment; 10 patients had to return Tuesday. The seemingly callous attitude of the hospital authorities has created discontentment among them.
“They think they can wash their hands of their responsibility by just putting up a notice announcing closure of the unit,” said an exasperated patient.
“Till now, no step has been taken against this failure,” rued another patient. Tuesday, there was a report of verbal altercation between some patients and the authorities. The patients had spent hours in the queue for the appointment ticket only to be informed that the unit was closed. Later, they were provided treatment at the OPD.
Commenting on the issue, Prasanna Das, president of Sachetana Nagarika Manch, said lack of doctors at Puri DHH was nothing new. Das had brought up the issue with the state Health minister and Chief Minister recently.
It is alleged that the Puri Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Haraprasad Mohanty has been nonchalant on the issue. Mohanty says that the district administration and the state health ministry have been apprised of all the issues plaguing the DHH.
When asked, Assistant Divisional Medical Officer said the matter has been conveyed to the state health ministry.
He added that the lone ENT doctor at the unit has been on leave due to personal reasons and the issue will soon be resolved.
Till then though, patients have no option, but to burn a hole in their pockets by gong to private healthcare facilities for availing treatment.