Odisha HC panel stunned over capital hospital amenities

Odisha High Court Advocates’ Committee on health affairs has expressed serious concerns about govt hospitals.

Cuttack: The Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, which on an average receives about 1500 patients in its outdoor department every day, 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 S C 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. PTI