CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has intensified its scrutiny of SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH), Cuttack, directing the Health & Family Welfare department to take concrete steps in addressing issues of absenteeism and accountability among doctors and staff.
A division bench comprising Justices SK Sahoo and V Narasingh, while hearing the matter on Thursday observed that some doctors are skipping hospital duties to attend private clinics and directed the Health & Family Welfare department to form an additional inspection team.
“This team, comprising officials not below the rank of deputy secretary, will conduct surprise inspections and submit periodical sealed reports to the Court for review, “ the bench said, taking on record an affidavit submitted by Prof Goutam Kumar Satpathy, superintendent of SCBMCH.
Appearing through virtual mode, Prof Satpathy detailed the hospital’s current staffing situation and the measures being implemented to ensure discipline and accountability. The matter will be further monitored on September 18 with the next compliance report to be submitted in due course.
The affidavit revealed that 87 faculty positions are currently vacant, including 15 professors, 33 associate professors, 16 assistant professors, and 23 senior residents/tutors.
Duty hours for OPD doctors are set from 9 am to 5 pm, with a one-hour lunch break, while emergency services are operational round-the-clock. In-patient duties are overseen through daily ward rounds, including on public holidays, and the Regional Diagnostic Centre functions 24/7 under the supervision of departments of pathology, biochemistry, and radiology.