Odisha HC panel stunned over capital hospital amenities

Cuttack, June 10: The Capital

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, which on an average receives about 1500 patients in its outdoor department everyday, does not have specialist neuro-surgeon to cater to the needs of head injury patients.

This lacuna came as a major cause of concern for Odisha High Court Advocates’ Committee on health affairs which visited the Hospital over the weekend. “

We were surprised to know that an important Government hospital located in state capital doesn’t have a neurosurgeon”, said advocate Pravat Ranjan Dash, a member of the Committee.

When contacted, Hospital Director Dr SC Mallick confirmed this and said the Hospital authorities are going to meet the state Chief Secretary tomorrow.

The meeting, to be attended also by the health secretary, will discuss this issue among other major concerns of the Hospital, he added.

Mallick said since the hospital is now under focus to play an important role in providing health services in the State and cooperate with the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for conducting the clinical classes of AIIMS students, a lot is needed to be done here immediately.

“Lack of sufficient doctors and other paramedic staff are our immediate concern and we need to address them first before taking care of the infrastructure and equipment requirement of the Hospital”, Mallick said.

He said the facilities in Capital Hospital should now be at par with that of the teaching hospitals to meet the requirements of the AIIMS.

Meanwhile, the Advocates’ Committee is also getting ready to file an affidavit in the High Court soon highlighting major shortcomings of the Capital Hospital as the Committee is receiving a lot of complaints about negligence in treatment meted out to patients in this important Government hospital.

Advocate Dash, who also as a counsel appearing for a witness before the Justice PK Mohanty Commission that is now inquiring into the sensational Pipili gang rape and murder case, is also planning to make a similar affidavit before the Commission. “

The initial refusal by the Capital Hospital to provide treatment to the Pipili rape victim could be an outcome of the dilapidated situation prevailing in the Hospital”, Dash opined.

PTI