Puri: The District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) here is facing myriad problems, including a shortage of doctors and poor sanitation.
The Health Department has apparently failed to improve healthcare and sanitation issues in the DHH despite convening several review meetings in the recent past.
It is learnt that the hospital has been facing acute shortage of doctors for last several years. At present, the DHH has only 47 doctors against its sanctioned strength of 75. “Several pregnant women are being referred to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as the DHH does not have anaesthetic,” said a source at the hospital.
A few important wards of the hospital, including the medicine ward, usually witness shortage of beds. Some critically-ill patients are often spotted lying on the floor. The issue has come up for discussion at several review meetings but nothing has been done in this regard.
Proper sanitation has become a distant dream for the medicine ward too. Sewage from the lavatories usually inundates a sizable portion of the ward. Patients are being provided with old beds and dirty bedcovers, sources said. “Some patients may develop infections due to filthy atmosphere at the medicine ward,” said an attendant.
The state government-sponsored Niramaya outlet that supplies generic drugs on the hospital premises has failed to meet people’s expectations. “The Niramaya outlet does not have adequate drugs. On occasions, patients have failed to get some essential drugs including tetanus toxoid injections at the outlet,” said a doctor.
Sources said the hospital has become a free entry place for agents of private hospitals. These middlemen are often accused of persuading patients to opt for private health institutions than availing treatment at the DHH. Representatives of private drug companies often visit doctors at the outpatient department by flouting the norms laid down by the state government, sources added.
Some patients and their relatives have expressed concern over inexperienced technicians at the pathology and X-ray laboratories. “Some patients have received wrong reports due to inexperienced technicians at the hospital laboratories. So, patients usually prefer to do their tests at private pathology labs,” claims a social activist.
It has been alleged that the DHH authorities are providing substandard food to patients. Some patients have raised the issue with the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) and sought improvement in food quality.
Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO) Pravat Kumar Sahu said, “they are taking steps to ensure proper sanitation and cleanliness at the DHH. We are trying to improve healthcare at the hospital. We have raised the doctor shortage issue with the Health Department,” said CDMO Bijan Kumar Mohanty.
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