BERHAMPUR: IN the midst of surging Covid-19 cases, shocking instances of mismanagement in hospitals have emerged from the district.
Though the State Government has pumped in funds and ramped up efforts to contain the pandemic in the Covid hotspot, lack of adequate protective gear continues to hamper patient care in many hospitals.
A couple of days after a patient died due to unavailability of PPE kits for doctors at Biju Patnaik Homeopathic Covid care centre, a similar incident took place at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) on Monday.
Sources said one Badrinath Behera of Kuthari temple street in Berhampur died of Covid-19 on July 28. Though swab samples of his family members were collected, the reports are yet to come. In the meantime, Badrinath’s brother Biswanath complained of breathing problem on Sunday night.
He was rushed to the isolation ward of MKCGMCH where he was made to wait on the veranda as no bed was available. Since Biswanath was badly in need of oxygen, the hospital staff asked family members to purchase a face mask. Somehow, the family arranged a mask and oxygen was delivered to the patient.
Later, after the intervention of local MLA Bikram Panda, Biswanath was admitted to the dedicated Covid health centre on the MCH premises.
MCH superintendent Dr Santosh Mishra said the isolation has only 80 beds and all were occupied when Biswanath arrived.
Apart from shortage of protective kits, callous attitude of health staff has worsened the Covid situation in the district. Zilla Parishad member of Kukudakhandi Mohan Das alleged that he took a patient, who was suffering from respiratory problem, to the general casualty of the MCH on Sunday but there was no one to provide him oxygen.
“I was asked to wait as several patients were already in queue. I apprised the matter to higher authorities and after around one and a half hour, the patient was provided oxygen,” he said. Das also alleged that two patients died due to lack of oxygen at the casualty which is operating from the super speciality building of the MCH.
However, Dr Mishra claimed that the hospital has adequate stock of oxygen but remained silent on the allegation of deaths of patients at the casualty.
In a tweet, Ganjam Collector Vijay Kulange said, “There is no scarcity of oxygen. Some people are spreading rumours about it which is false. Oxygen treatment is the decision of doctors. They are doing their job properly. Don’t demoralise our Covid Warriors.”
Expressing dismay over Kulange’s tweet, several intellectuals said the administration, instead of improving the health service, is trying to suppress the lapses. They also demanded for appointment of an efficient administrator to handle the affairs of MKCGMCH.