SAMBALPUR: Surgeries in the 250-bed District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) here have been stopped in the absence of an anaesthetist.
Belamati Sahu (42), resident of Ramgarh slum in the town, was rushed to the DHH after she complained of severe pain in her stomach in November last. Although she was advised operation, Sahu was discharged from the DHH after a couple of days as she could not be operated upon in the absence of the anaesthetist.
Subsequently, Belamati was admitted to a private nursing home. Many poor patients like her are forced to pay a hefty amount at private nursing homes nearby for operations. Several incidents like this has occurred in the hospital in the recent past, but there has been no improvement in the situation.
Admitting the problem, surgery specialist of the DHH Panchanan Naik said there are two sanctioned posts of anaesthetist in the DHH and both the posts are lying vacant. Even as one post was vacant since long, the only doctor Girija Shankar Prasad Patra was relieved on November 1, last year after she joined as Senior Resident Doctor in VSS Medical at Burla. Worst affected are the poor patients who cannot afford surgical intervention and diagnostic tests at private nursing homes.
Chief District Medical Officer Jagat Krushna Samantray said the hospital was facing problems in absence of an anaesthetist. The situation is being managed by hiring private anaesthesia specialist in case of emergency.
He said the authorities have been apprised of the situation and steps initiated to depute an anaesthetist to the District Headquarters Hospital.