Hospital authorities may consult some nutritionists to find an alternative
Bhubaneswar: Even though the Capital Hospital authorities are providing bread, boiled eggs and milk to the patients to meet the nutrition needs of the latter, the milk distributed to them going waste due to the gruelling heat has become a cause for concern.
During interaction with patients admitted to various departments of Capital Hospital, Orissa POST found that the patients cannot use the milk as it becomes spoilt due to the prevailing heatwave. Notably, the health department is providing one packet of milk (half litre) to each patient every morning.
The milk provided to the patients is purified. But, the patients are not used to drinking pasteurized milk in the condition it is served. Almost all the patients visiting the hospital are Oriyas, who are habituated with drinking boiled milk. There is no facility to boil the milk at the hospital too. Hence, when attendants or relatives of the patients take the milk to their residences or to some other places to boil it, it becomes unift for consumption after boiling.
“My son has been under treatment at the hospital since last Friday. Every day, the hospital authorities are distributing bread, eggs and one pocket of milk to my son. He eats bread and boiled eggs. But, we cannot use the milk because we have the habit of drinking boiled milk. Once I took the milk to my residence to boil it, but in the end I got a spoilt milk,” said Chittaranjan Rout, a resident of Patrapada on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
Similarly, Basudev Sahoo, an attendant of a patient from Balianta area, narrated a similar story. Sahoo said, “I force my daughter to drink the milk without boiling it. Though she does it for some days, the milk goes waste on other days.”
“My son Ansuman is a thalassemic. I have to bring him to the hospital once or twice a month to inject blood. I get one pouch of milk but it is of no use. Recently, after completion of the blood transfusion, I went home and the milk spilt when I started boiling it,” said Ashok Mohapatra. Sources said the hospital has over 560 beds while another 100 patients undergo treatment at the hospital throughout the year. So, about 330 litres of milk is being distributed to patients of the hospital every day.
Taking note of the problem, Capital Hospital Director Chitta Ranjan Das said, “I have recently taken charge of the post. I came to know about the problem today. I will conduct an enquiry tomorrow and will take immediate measures to resolve the issue.” Das further stated that he would consult some nutritionists to find out
some alternative to milk.
Biswa Bhusan Mohapatra, OP