UMERKOTE : Prolonged power outages for the last two days are adding to the misery of patients already reeling under scorching summer temperature, in Nabarangpur’s Umerkote sub-divisional hospital (SDH).
After enduring severe hardships due to a complete blackout in the hospital for the entire day on Tuesday, patients faced a harrowing time on Wednesday as power supply was disconnected for several hours.
From newborns to elderly patients, everyone bore the brunt of the power cuts. In absence of electricity, many patients were reportedly provided treatment with the help of mobile torch lights. Attendants were also seen feeding patients under mobile lights. Sources said the doctors and hospital staff were allegedly forced to administer blood to some patients in the dark.
Similarly, unable to cope with the sweltering heat, many patients and their attendants were seen using traditional hand fans and even newspapers to keep themselves cool.
Incidentally, the SDH is the second largest hospital in Nabarangpur district. People from Chandahandi, Jharigaon, Raighar, Dabugaon and Umerkote blocks besides the neighbouring Chhattisgarh depend on the SDH for their healthcare needs.
Requesting anonymity, a patient said despite being an important health facility in the district, Umerkote hospital is unable to provide basic services to patients. No alternate arrangement is in place in the hospital to supply electricity during power outages. “The patients are suffering due to negligence of the district health officials,” he alleged.
Contacted, medical officer of Umerkote SDH Sarat Chandra Sethi said construction work is underway on the hospital premises. The power supply was disconnected for a long time after a cable suffered damage during soil digging work which was being carried out with a JCB machine.
When asked about the lack of alternate arrangement or back-up during power cuts, Sethi said the generator supplied to the SDH is not working. “We have written to the chief district medical officer of Nabarangpur in this regard,” he added.