Health Minister Atanu Sabysachi Nayak on Wednesday visited the jaundice-affected parts of the Balangir Municipality and went to the house of an affected family at Sudpada. He later visited the District Headquarters Hospital and inquired about the conditions of patients and distributed glucose to them. The Minister directed the Balangir CDMO to take steps for proper functioning of the ICU and asked the ADMO (Family Welfare) to clean up the gynaecology ward within 15 days.
later, he held a review meeting of health and PHD officials at the Collectorate. Asked to comment on the reported death of a jaundice patient, the Minister denied it, saying the person died due to kidney ailments. So far, a total of 3,060 people have been screened and 39 jaundice cases have been detected in Balangir town, said the Minister to the media after the review meeting. The condition of the person who has been referred to the Burla hospital is stable and his expense would be borne by the Government, he said.
Asked about the reported death in Burla due to jaundice, on Tuesday, district Collector M MuthuKumar had told this correspondent that the deceased person Rajiv Sahu of Chimnibhatipada was treated in a private nursing home and then referred to the Burla hospital. He had kidney ailment. At the review meeting, a Councillor said, “I had lodged a complaint with PHD about the cracks in water pipeline, but nobody listened to it and no action was taken by the PHD.” Rogi Kalyan Samiti meetings are not held regularly, complained another Councillor.
Meanwhile, the district administration has constituted a taskforce to look into the leakage of pipes, water supply and other issues. When asked, the Health Minister told the media that the tender process for a medical college at Balangir is over and work would start soon.