Baisinga: Shortage of life-saving drugs, vacant post of faculties and poor infrastructure have paralysed the health service in Baisinga Hospital under Betanati block of Mayurbhanj district.
According to sources, the Baisinga Hospital was inaugurated by Maharaja Pratap Chandra Dev in 1928. Residents of 17 panchayats under Betanati block are dependent on this hospital. But the state government’s half-hearted initiative has resulted in the patients’ suffering in the hospital.
Due to paucity of adequate infrastructure and beds, patients including pregnant women and children are forced to undergo treatment on the hospital floor. More than 200 patients visit the hospital everyday for treatment.
According to figures available for March 2019, the total number of registered patients in this hospital was 4,100 while it was 3,900 for Betanati Community Health Centre. There are 16 Health Wellness Centres in the district of which 10 are operating under the hospital.
Adding to the woes of 50,000 residents belonging to 17 panchayats is the shortage of doctors and medical staff. An Ayush doctor and a Homeopathic doctor look after the patients. No regular doctor has been appointed in the last seven years.
Emergency anti-venom and anti-rabies vaccines are not available in the hospital. There is no facility in the hospital to treat electrocuted or lightning-hit persons.
The hospital is situated close to the National Highway No.18. But, the critically injured road accident victims are referred to other hospitals as there is no trauma-care theatre in the hospital. Ironically, there is a pathology section in the hospital which does not have the needed equipment.
An ambulance, donated by former MP Kartik Chandra Mohapatra to the hospital, is defunct and the patients are dependent on an ambulance owned by a hospital worker. The patients have to pay for the service of the ambulance. Since the hospital has no compound wall, it raises several questions about the security and safety of indoor patients.
The residents had brought their woes to the notice of former deputy speaker Sananda Marandi and BJD MLA of Badasahi Ganeswar Patra during their visit to the hospital in 2018. They had promised recruitment of doctors and ensure care of other needs of the hospital. But nothing has changed.
The health care service in the hospital is worsening day by day. Patients in critical condition are referred to hospitals in Baripada or Balasore as there is no medical alternative.
Locals have demanded upgradation of the hospital into a community health centre so as to make available all necessary facilities for the patients.
PNN
