Bargarh: Normal life was thrown out of gear due to the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Ekata Manch — demanding the conversion of the old district headquarters hospital (DHH) to a city hospital — here Tuesday. This was the second bandh on successive days.
After Monday’s bandh called by Bargarh denizens crying demanding the same, Tuesday’s bandh though affected normal life. Vehicular traffic was off the road, educational institutions and business establishments too downed their shutters.
A good number of passengers were seen stranded at the bus stand. Similarly, the health staff who usually take bus from the bus stand to the new DHH at Tukurla were also seen waiting for vehicles at the bus stand.
According to the arrangement, the health staff at the new DHH would be relieved for the old DHH once the stranded staffers reach the destination, it was learnt.
Following the Monday bandh, the suspended health facilities were restarted at the old DHH Monday afternoon.
Monday afternoon, chief district medical officer Dr Bibhuti Bhushan Meher, other doctors and health staff had reached the old DHH and started attending patients.
The health service at the old DHH was resumed following the directions of collector Jyotiranjan Pradhan and MLA Debesh Acharya.
The agitating people Monday had called off their strike after CDMO Dr Meher promised them that all treatment facilities would be made available at the old DHH. He had also informed the people that a proposal has been taken to establish a medical college on the campus of old DHH.
Notably, CM Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated the new DHH at Tukurla (Khedipali) January 21. The shifting of machineries, equipment and beds from the old DHH to the new one started January 31, which badly affected the health facilities at the old DHH. Protesting against this, people of Bargarh had been demanding ‘city hospital’ status to the old DHH for the last couple of days.
It is worth mentioning that the state government has declared the old DHH as the primary health centre (PHC).
PNN
