Baripada: A year has passed since the Pandit Raguhnath Murmu Medical College and Hospital (PRMMCH) was made operational here in Mayurbhanj district, but it still lacks dialysis and MRI facilities.
Reports said around 100 patients turn up at the medical college every day. Many of them are kidney patients. They have to return disappointed as there is no dialysis facility here.
Locals said the state government established the medical college to ensure quality healthcare, but without critical diagnostic facilities that is not possible. Hundreds of patients come to the hospital from West Bengal, Jharkhand and Keonjhar.
Most of the patients undergoing treatment here are affected by kidney ailments. As dialysis is not available, patients have to visit private hospitals and spend hefty amounts.
Hemalata Swain, a patient in Ward-12, said, “After my operation, I had to do undergo dialysis 30 times a year. The facility is not available here. My family has spent around Rs 1 lakh for dialysis so far.”
Linarani Jena, a patient from Khantpal in Rasgobindapur block said, “In the last two years, I had dialysis around 50 times and spent a lot in private hospitals by selling jewellery, land and other assets.”
Senior lawyer Himansu Narayan Mohapatra said the government is deliberately delaying the dialysis and MRI centre due to a conspiracy by some private nursing homes and clinics, even though infrastructure is already available.
Then health minister Pratap Jena had held a press conference August 11, 2017 and announced a package of Rs 50 crore to make available quality healthcare in the tribal-dominated district with MRI, CT scan and dialysis.
Chief district medical officer Dr Anil Kar said a Hyderabad-based agency has provided everything – beds, machines and staff – on public-private-partnership mode, and the facilities will be inaugurated soon.
PNN
