CUTTACK: When the State government is revamping SCB Medical College and Hospital to an AIIMS-plus institute, the geriatric medicine clinic that opened in 2004 has been lying closed for the last one-and-half years. With an aim to provide geriatric healthcare to the elderly suffering from various old-age related diseases, a geriatric clinic was opened at SCB MCH in 2004, which was functioning twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
The then head of the medicine department Prof. Dr. Dhirendra Nath Moharana was in-charge of the clinic. Around 200-odd patients used to visit the Geriatric OPD, out of which five to six patients were getting admitted. Considering the need, an 18-bed geriatric ward was later opened. Sources said due to the apathetic attitude of the State government, the specialised clinic has remained shut since the retirement of Prof. Moharana on December 31, 2020. Although after his retirement, Prof. Moharana had submitted a representation to Health and Family Welfare department and DMET seeking permission to run the clinic voluntarily without taking any salary or honourarium, it was declined.
“With no support I don’t know whether the geriatric clinic is running or not. I had sought permission to run the clinic voluntarily, but was not permitted,” said Prof. Moharana.However, the hospital authorities claim to be running the clinic through an assistant professor of medicine, but no one is aware from where and when it is functioning, alleged general secretary, Cuttack Barista Nagarika Mahasabha (CBNM), Bishnu Mohan Das Samant.Geriatric treatment involves complex and specialised training, trained personnel and state-of-the-art equipment, but how are the hospital authorities running the clinic with doctor having no specialisation in the particular field, Das Samant questioned.The Mahasabha has written a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for its resumption, he said.