DHENKANAL: Shortage of doctors and inadequate infrastructure have crippled healthcare services in the district headquarters hospital (DHH).Of the 46 sanctioned posts, only 27 doctors are in position. Due to lack of adequate infrastructure and availability of beds in the hospital, patients including pregnant women and children are forced to undergo treatment on the floor.
Though Health Minister Pratap Jena had dedicated the 300-bed new building of the DHH to public in May 2018, only 176 beds have been sanctioned so far. In 2013, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid foundation stone for the seven-storey building which was constructed at an estimated cost of `43 crore. At present, around 230 indoor patients are being treated at the hospital. Similarly, more than 1200 people visit the out patient department (OPD) daily.
While the post of Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO) is lying vacant since long, the surgery specialist is shouldering its responsibility along with his own medical duty. This apart, radiographer posts have been lying vacant for several years, forcing patients to rely on private labs to get X-ray done. In most of the cases, patients are referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. “We faced immense problems in consulting a doctor in the medicine department. We had to wait in a long queue. The doctor also did not check the patient properly because of the rush,” said an attendant of a patient.
The rural healthcare facilities are also facing similar problems. Of total 199 sanctioned posts, only 108 doctors are available at the PHCs and CHCs. To compound the matters, Government doctors are found attending private clinics at the block headquarters. Despite repeated agitations by the locals and political organisations, no step has been taken for recruitment of new doctors. Chief District Medical Officer Dr Pradeep Kumar Mohapatra said the situation got worse after some physicians left their posts to pursue higher education and some went on leave. However, efforts are on to fill up the vacancies, he added.