CUTTACK: Jenamani Rout (45) of Baisinga in Mayurbhanj district has been spending sleepless nights under a tree in front of the surgery ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital, where her son Dipu (17) is undergoing treatment after sustaining injuries in the train mishap at Bahanaga.
Dipu was enroute Chennai to work as a labourer. Similar is the plight of Bibhuti Hembrum (40) of West Bengal who has taken shelter under a tree in the scorching heat while his relative Sukulal Murmu battles with life at the Central ICU of the hospital. Like Jenamani and Bibhuti, around 300 family members and relatives of 140 Bahanaga train accident victims undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital have no option to spend time under trees due to unavailability of a rest shed at the facility.
“Where shall I take shelter? There is no rest shed nearby,” said Anirudha Jena of Balasore whose son Prafulla is undergoing treatment at bed no 23 of Surgery ward. “While my wife is attending to Prafulla in the ward, I am staying outside,” he said.
As if the tormenting heat was not enough, the closure of the Aahaar centre on the hospital campus on Sunday added to the woes of the victim’s families. A few voluntary organisations distributed meals at the hospitals but the wait was long. Hospital authorities claimed every accident victim has been provided a bed. They clarified only attendant is allowed to remain in the hospital with a patient.
At least 202 accidents victims including 7 females and three children from Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana were admitted to SCB MCH. While 60 patients were discharged and two left against medical advice (LAMA), the rest 140 are undergoing treatment.
Of the 140 patients, the condition of 11 is stated to be critical. While five of them are undergoing treatment at the Trauma Care ICU, as many have been admitted to the Cental ICU. One patient is undergoing treatment at the ICU of Neurosurgery department, informed SCB administrative officer Abinash Rout.
At present, 41 accidents victims are undergoing treatment at Surgery (Male) ward, 2 in Surgery (Female) ward, one in Plastic Surgery ward, 16 in Orthopedic, 23 in Trauma Care Unit and 40 in a special ward at the Eye department Building. Identities of six victims are yet to be ascertained, informed Rout.