Nayagarh: The district headquarters hospital here made news again after a video clip featuring a nurse demanding bribe from a patient’s relative became viral Sunday.
In the video, the nurse was seen demanding money from a man. When the latter showed reluctance, the nurse was explaining to him how the money is being distributed at all levels including a local representative.
The nurse even allegedly disclosed that the local representative collected money for posting of doctors in the hospital.
According to reports, the DHH of late has been in the news for shortage of doctors and poor healthcare services. In such a scenario, the growing percentage culture, thanks to the viral clip, has left many in shock.
Not only are the nurses, other hospital staffers also demand money from the patients, it is alleged. If objected, they manage to refer the cases to the hospitals at Bhubaneswar or Cuttack citing the requirement of advanced treatment.
Objections made with the chief district medical officer and even with the Collector have not yielded any result, said a relative of a patient.
There are also a few doctors who consult patients at their residence and come to the wards late.
A local alleged that some goons, said to be engaged by a lady doctor, threaten the patients if any one questions the doctor.
This apart, the medicine representatives have taken over the hospital. The doctors are spending more time with them than patients, it was alleged.
The administration should make efforts to make the hospital free from the percentage culture, said some conscious citizens.
The hospital authorities seem to be not interested to ensure minimum facilities to the patients with saline bottles suspending from the wires while being administered to the patients is a regular scenario.
While CDMO Dr Phanidra Kumar Panigrahi couldn’t be contacted over the issue, additional district magistrate Dr Sweta Mohapatra didn’t pick up the phone.
PNN
