Agency pulled up over food quality

Baripada: Even as more and more patients keep visiting the PRM Medical College and Hospital at Rangamatia here in Mayurbhanj, there are allegations of poor sanitation and food supply to patients. The contractual agency which has been given the two tasks has been served show-cause notices on two counts, a report said.

Now, patients are coming from other districts and neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal to PRM Medical College and Hospital, hoping for better healthcare services.

But many social organisations had earlier alleged that the facility has been going through various shortcomings and mismanagement due to apathy of the authorities. They had staged protests over these issues.

It was alleged the agency that had taken up sanitation at the hospital was not paying its staff in time. Some staff had agitated some days ago. On some days garbage piles could be seen on the premises.

Bhanjasena activists had staged protests over the poor sanitation, alleging the agency is not paying attention to cleanliness on the medical college premises. It demanded to blacklist the agency.

Taking a serious note of the issue, the chief district medical and public health officer has served a show-cause notice on Sumit Security Service asking it to clarify within seven days.

The sanitary staff has not been provided with uniforms, identity cards, masks, gloves and shoes.

This agency was also assigned the sanitation work at hospitals in Rairangpur, Karanjia and Udala where the sanitation situation is said to be similar due to shortage of staff.

The agency that was also assigned to supply food to patients had been accused of not supplying food to patients as per daily menu. Besides, it is also accused of serving substandard food.

Programme Manager of National Health Mission Anil Kumar Mohanty said the agency was served notice over alleged mess-up in food supply. The agency would be taken to task as per legal framework, he added.

PNN