Bhanjanagar: Even though the government is improving infrastructure at the Bhanjanagar sub-divisional hospital the shortage of doctors has hit healthcare services, a report said.
The hospital lacks adequate doctors to attend to patients, and this often leads to fights between doctors and patients. Around half the sanctioned posts of doctors are vacant.
This is continuing despite development of the infrastructure at the hospital. A new building was constructed for the hospital and an ultrasound machine which was defunct for years was made operational.
A digital X-ray machine was inaugurated in the hospital Saturday, and this will greatly help patients to get X-rays done free of cost.
Medical superintendent Dr Pitambar Das inaugurated the new X-ray machine. Dr Manoj Panda, pharmacist Simanchal Das, ophthalmology ward officer Prasant Mohanty, medical manager Bichitrananda Panigrahi and X-ray department officials were present at the inauguration ceremony.
The sub-divisional hospital which had 80 beds now has facilities for 120 patients.
The patients of Bhanjanagar and its outskirts as well as patients from Kandhamal and Nayagarh districts visit this hospital. As a result, the number of patients here is more than in any other hospital in Ganjam district.
The government after realising the importance of the hospital increased the staff here.
The posts of doctors were increased from 14 to 23. A post of medical superintendent was created to manage the hospital in place of the sub-divisional medical officer.
But the hospital now has only 11 doctors instead of the sanctioned 23. Moreover, 30 posts of nurses are lying vacant which has hit services.
The special cabins are often found unfit to admit patients due to lack of maintenance.
Toilets in the female wards are not regularly cleaned while toilets in the male wards are closed.
Security at the hospital is often slack, and staff is not enough to carry patients for examination or shift them to other wards.
PNN
