CUTTACK: Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, ailing children and their parents are being forced to crowd the verandah of Sishu Bhawan in the absence of adequate seating arrangements while waiting to consult the doctors.
For the last one week, the Sishu Bhawan outpatient departments (OPDs) are witnessing a rise in patient footfall owing to the seasonal flu and other monsoon-related ailments. Due to lack of seats, patients and their attendants are having to wait at the hospital verandah for hours throwing Covid safety norms to the wind.
The verandah has only 30 chairs. While people wait outside for tickets, they crowd the verandah once it rains. As per reports, round the year, around 300 patients visit the OPDs of 416-bed Sishu Bhawan daily for diagnosis and treatment. However, with the onset of monsoon, the number of patients increases.
According to the hospital records, 451 paediatric patients with symptoms of common flu, viral flu, cold, cough, fever and gastroenteritis had visited the hospital OPDs on Wednesday. Sishu Bhawan Superintendent Jnanindra Nath Behera said the space problem will be solved after expansion of the hospital to G+6 structure which is being implemented at the cost of Rs 117 crore.