BHUBANESWAR: Several pro-people initiatives like 5T and Mo Sarkar to ensure delivery of public services notwithstanding, patients are at the mercy of doctors and made to wait weeks for surgeries at the ESI Hospital, Bhubaneswar, the only referral health facility in the Capital for 2.7 lakh beneficiaries.
Patients coming from far off places like Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada are left disheartened as shortage of regular physicians, specialist doctors and paramedical staff has crippled the health services.
"I have travelled around 650 km to get a surgery of my relative done at the hospital. Though I am here at the hospital for the last two days, nobody is attending the patient or ready to give a date for the surgery," said Santosh Behera from Koraput.
Several others echoed Behera’s frustration. A patient alleged the doctors here are inhuman. "They would admit you and give date for surgery, but they would simply vanish on the date. I was admitted three times for a surgery. Finally, I had to do it in a private facility as the doctor concerned did not find time," he alleged.
Operational since 1997, the hospital was upgraded to a 100-bed hospital on December 24, 2018 with Central assistance of Rs 73 crore. At a glittering event Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dedicated the renovated hospital and hoped that equipped with modern facilities, it will provide good medical care to beneficiaries under ESI scheme.
More than a year after renovation, the fate of the hospital has remained unchanged as the State Government has failed to appoint doctors and other paramedical staff as per sanctioned strength. The hospital is being managed by only seven regular doctors and five contractual doctors besides seven staff nurses.
The Labour and ESI department has created 126 posts, including four each medicine specialists, gynaecologists, paediatricians, anaesthesia specialists, three each surgeons and ENT specialists, two each orthopaedic and eye specialists, five medical officers for casualty, two each pathologists and radiologists, one chest and TB specialist besides 20 staff nurses and other paramedics in October, last year. However, no appointment has been made.
In the absence of staff, several modern medical equipment and high-end machines like endoscope, hysteroscope, laparoscope, spirometer and neonatal ventilator, are lying unused and gathering dust in the centrally air-conditioned facility.
The state of affairs of ESI Hospital in the Capital has raised doubts on the condition of zonal hospitals and dispensaries.As per norms, the hospital should have a regular Superintendent, but the post is laying vacant. Ophthalmologist Dr Dillip Kumar Sahu, who is in charge for over 10 months, admitted that patients are suffering due to staff shortage.
“Every day nearly 600 patients visit the hospital. Sometimes the serving doctors and staff are hard-pressed. Though I have written to the Director’s office several times for appointment of doctors and training of doctors, no step has been taken yet,” he said.
ESI Director Ramesh Chandra Rout said he is aware about the situation. “I have moved the Government for recruitment of doctors through OPSC and nurses through Odisha Staff Selection Commission,” he added.