Post News Network
Cuttack, Jan 31: Choudwar circle jail authorities have come in for sharp criticism from inmates for their favouritism in providing medical care to ailing prisoners.
Slum-dweller Brundaban Das, who spent a week in jail after being arrested for opposing an eviction drive, alleged several undertrials having political connections lead lavish lifestyles inside the jail, while ailing prisoners are given no medical care and are forced to suffer in silence. Das has written to the jail authorities and higher officials in this regard.
Sources said a 64-bed hospital inside the jail campus meant to provide proper medical care to prisoners is in a dysfunctional state due to lack of doctors and infrastructuress. The hospital is being manned by only two contractual doctors, one of who has been on leave for a long time.
Das said four inmates have died in the last three months, adding negligence on the part of jail authorities and delay in providing prompt medical treatment might have led to some deaths.
An undertrial identified as Abhinna Bardhan of Dihasahi under Choudwar police limits died a few days back allegedly due to medical negligence on the part of jail authorities. Bardhan was reportedly suffering from a liver-related ailment, and was not hospitalized despite being in severe pain for hours. By the time authorities decided to take him to hospital, he was in a critical condition and later died en route to the
hospital.
It was learnt that ailing prisoners from 91 jails across the state are being referred to the jail to avail treatment as the SCB Medical College and Hospital is not very far from the jail. “The jail has 800 inmates of which a whopping 40 per cent are suffering from mental illness. Authorities are not providing beds to critically-ill patients at the jail hospital and are instead allotting them to hale and hearty jailbirds who they are on friendly terms with,” said Das.
Akhila Jhopadipati Association president Azad, who was earlier lodged at the jail, said he was suffering from heart disease. He had complained of chest pain and urged the jail authorities to admit him to hospital. His plea was not heard immediately. He was admitted to hospital only after repeated requests, Azad said.
Choudwar jailer Sitanshu Dev said the inconvenience to inmates is due to a shortage of doctors and beds at the hospital and not due to any favouritism or bias. Plans are afoot to open a 30-bed hospital, Dev said, adding the allegations that healthy inmates were being provided hospital beds were baseless.
