Post News Network
Sambalpur, Jan 17: Healthcare delivery system in VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla took a beating even as an agitation by the hospital’s Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) reached sixth day Sunday.
Four children died in the hospital late Saturday night due to alleged medical negligence while the authorities were seen trying to sweep it under the carpet. Doctors and other hospital staff are tight-lipped about the matter. Even hospital superintendent Dr Laxmikant Dash pleaded ignorance about the matter. He, however, added that action will be taken against the guilty after a probe is completed.
A meeting between the doctors and Revenue Divisional Commissioner (northern) and district collector Balwant Singh Sunday failed as the protesting medicos warned that they would continue their agitation till the health minister and secretary concede their 11-point charter of demands. House surgeons joined the stir of the JDA that began January 12.
Meanwhile, the state government removed principal of the medical college Dr Santosh Behera and appointed Prof Bijay Kumar Dutta, HOD of the college’s anatomy department in his place.
Private hospitals and nursing homes make hay taking advantage of the doctors’ agitation while there is no end to hardships to patients from poor economic background.
Residents here blamed it on the indifferent attitude of the authorities in solving the problem. They criticized the local MLA and the MP, who have not turned up at the venue yet even six days after the doctors began agitation.
The demands of the medicos included administrative and financial autonomy of VSS Institute Of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), development of infrastructure, installation of MRI machine and other equipment for patients’ treatment, sanitation, tight security on the institute’s premises, round the clock service at regional diagnostics centre, filling up of doctors’ vacancies, relocation of women medicine ward to new building and uninterrupted water and power supply.