Post News Network
Baripada, Oct 27: The Mayurbhanj district headquarters hospital here has always been in the limelight for the wrong reasons – be it medical negligence or baby theft or death of pregnant women. In the latest irregularity, a huge quantity of medicines was found rotting in an abandoned room on the hospital premises, raising a question on free distribution of medicine.
Locals alleged the hospital authorities have indulged in irregularities in the matter of medicine distribution when patients are often compelled to cough up hefty sums to purchase medicines from private chemists.
There has been provision of free medicine for patients seeking treatment at outdoor patient department. But in most cases, patients are not getting free medicines while the health authorities have dumped such a huge quantity of drugs on the hospital premises.
According to reports, the hospital assumes importance because people from neighbouring states like West Bengal and Jharkhand turn up in large numbers to avail healthcare facilities.
However, the authorities have not sorted out the various problems besetting healthcare delivery here. Recently, the hospital was in the news when a woman health worker allegedly kicked and slapped a pregnant woman when the latter screamed out of labour pain. The patient later died.
Additional district medical officer (ADMO) Dr Pranab Shankar Das said those medicine dumped had been damaged during cyclonic storm Phailin. The ADMO said medicines that had been made available to the hospital recently have also been stocked at the place.
Locals alleged if the medicines have been damaged during Phailin, why they have been dumped here since then and not disposed of.
However, a reliable source said the hospital is receiving more medicine than what is required. As a result, the medicines expire after remaining unused over the years.
Das said the medicines will be disposed of soon.
