BJD stages protest, says government neglecting VIMSAR
SAMBALPUR: The Sambalpur unit of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday took out a massive protest rally accusing the BJP-led state government of deliberately neglecting Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla to benefit private nursing homes and hospitals.
BJD workers led by former minister and the party’s district president Rohit Pujari marched from PG chowk to the newly-built super speciality building on VIMSAR premises and burnt the effigy of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling.
On Monday, Pujari had urged local residents to join the protest citing two recent reports published in The New Indian Express on the issues plaguing VIMSAR, on his social media handles.
During the protest, Pujari slammed the BJP government for delaying the inauguration of the super speciality block, which he claimed was depriving poor patients of critical healthcare services. He said while VIMSAR continues to suffer from a shortage of ICU beds, the newly-constructed facility has 50 critical care beds that are lying unused due to the government’s indifference. “If the hospital is opened immediately, countless poor families will have access to life-saving healthcare facilities,” he said.
The BJD leader alleged that due to lack of essential diagnostic equipment such as ultrasound, dialysis machines, CT scan and MRI at VIMSAR, poor patients are being forced to seek costly tests at private nursing homes and hospitals. He accused the BJP government of intentionally undermining public healthcare to promote private health institutions.
Pujari said the health minister should form a team to investigate the alleged exploitation of patients in private nursing homes. He also urged the government to mandate the display of rate charts at all private hospitals for public awareness and transparency. “If the BJP government fails to inaugurate the super speciality hospital soon, BJD would take the initiative and inaugurate it,” he said.
The former minister also raised concerns over shortage of blood in blood banks and urged the government to take immediate steps to address the crisis.
A large number of BJD workers from across the district took part in the protest march.