BERHAMPUR: The Psychiatry ward of MKCG Medical College and Hospital here has caused distress to patients due to its distant location. It is about 1.3 km away from the main hospital building and is situated near the second gate, adjacent to the City Bus Stand.
This has been a source of worry for patients who walk the distance to buy medicine from the Niramaya Centre or get blood test and reports from the Regional Diagnostics Centre (RDC).
Sources said the number of patients who visit Psychiatry department is about 1,000 in a month. They come from Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and bordering areas of Andhra Pradesh for treatment in the department. However, despite the large number of patients, there are only 30 beds in the ward.
Most patients have to take an auto rickshaw to get blood tests done at RDC and again come back after few hours to get the reports. “The process is painstaking and pinches our pockets,” said one attendant of a patient.
Their pain multiplies when the doctor asks them to do CT Scan or MRI, situated at a similar distance. As the second gate always remains closed, patients face problems when the exact medicine is not available at the Niramaya Centre. While the six Niramaya Centres and RDC are located near outdoor of other departments, the situation for Psychiatry department is worse because of the distance. Patients have urged the Government to open a Niramaya Centre near Psychiatry department to ease their problem.