Khurda: While patients and their attendants are facing considerable inconvenience due to the foul smell emanating from the mortuary of the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here, inordinate delay in shifting the mortuary to a new building has triggered widespread resentment.
Sources said the existing mortuary is functioning from the main building of the hospital and situated near the dental outpatient department (OPD). Patients and their attendants often complain of stench emanating from the mortuary. Besides, it has polluted the hospital environment and poses risk to the patients, their attendants and staff of the hospital.
In order to sort out the issue, a new mortuary was constructed near the post-mortem room on the hospital premises. The construction of the building was completed eight months back. However, the shifting of the mortuary to the new building is still hanging in balance owing to some electric wiring work.
Sources said the general electrical division (GED) which is in charge of the electrification of the new building is delaying the wiring works. Moreover, a body preservation machine is lying unused at the hospital owing to shortage of space in the mortuary.
Fed up with the foul smell, patients and their relatives had repeatedly demanded relocation of the mortuary. After the news of the inconvenience faced by patients published in this newspaper, Rs 10 lakh was sanctioned for the new mortuary building.
Later, the plight of the patients again caught the attention of media after the authorities concerned made inordinate delay in the building construction. Finally, the building was completed eight months back.
When contacted, additional district medical officer Narayan Behera admitted that there was delay in the building construction. “The mortuary could not be shifted to the new building due to pending wiring works.”
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