CUTTACK: At a time when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has pledged to transform SCB Medical College and Hospital into an AIIMS Plus institution, inaction of the State Health department is virtually pushing the premier hospital into a comatose stage.The Endocrinology department dealing with diseases like diabetes, thyroid disorders, hormonal diseases, endocrinal cancers and aspects of heart diseases is set to shut down, thanks to the apathy of the Health department.
As inconceivable as it may appear, the essential super speciality discipline with 20 beds has been functioning with only its Professor and Head of Department AK Baliarsingh and no other doctor beneath him for support. Apart from the heavy patient load considering the diseases it deals with, the department also has two DM seats for training of super speciality medical students. Prof Baliarsingh is set to retire in June 2020 and as there is none to succeed him or take his place, the department is staring at imminent closure. And, the Health Department is yet to take any step to appoint doctors.
A department with annual two DM student intake should have one Professor, one Associate Professor and one Assistant Professor at the least. While the post of Assistant Professor has been lying vacant for the last two years, the Associate Professor has resigned from service since August 5.
Sources said lone Professor Baliarsingh is finding it difficult to manage the health care affairs at the department as he often has to remain busy in different official meetings and programmes. While the average footfall at the OPD conducted twice in a week on Wednesday and Saturday is around 500, indoor admissions are far higher than the sanctioned bed strength.
As a result, it has become impossible for the Professor to manage affairs single-handedly. Though the department badly needs doctors to deal with the patient load, no steps have been taken by the Government despite repeated letters and reminders from the Head of the Department as well as medical college authorities.
SCBMCH Dean and Principal Jayashree Mohanty said she had already apprised the Health department of the situation and urged for filling up the vacant doctors’ posts urgently. “Considering the acute problem, an Assistant Professor from the Paediatric department has been deployed on adjustment basis to manage the health care affair at the department,” said Mohanty.