Champua: As the entire state has been reeling under intense heatwave and high humidity for the last several days, frequent power cuts have made life miserable for patients undergoing treatment at Champua sub-divisional health centre in Keonjhar district.
Scorching heat and frequent power cuts have hit the health services at the hospital as well as hundreds of patients coming for treatment every day.
Most of the in-patients are seen walking out of their beds to rest under the trees outside the hospital following frequent power cuts and low voltage. Due to low voltage, only electric bulbs are functioning in the night and not the ceiling fans.
Patients allege that despite having diesel generators and inverters, the hospital authorities are not using them when there is a power cut.
“As the temperature has increased, the frequency of power cuts has also increased. We prefer resting outside the hospital. During the night also we sleep under the open sky,” said a relative of a patient in the hospital.
According to sources, some persons had donated for some air-conditioners for the hospital. But the patients have to pay Rs 150 and Rs 300 for a general and AC room respectively, it is alleged. Even if the patients are prepared to pay for these services, they provide no comfort as the inverters are not connected to the cabins.
Hours of power disruption is causing major discomfort for the patients, including pregnant women, children and patients with burn injuries.
According to the hospital staff, funds were not provided to the hospital authority to run the diesel generator. When contacted, medical officer in-charge, Sujit Kumar Lenka, assured to look into the matter and resolve the problem as soon as possible.
PNN