The Pensioners’ Cabin in the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) has been shut for about 3 months due to non-availability of doctors and staff nurse. The establishment has seven cabins.
The intellectuals of the district as well as senior citizens on Monday submitted a fresh memorandum to the district Collector, urging him to take immediate step to open the cabin. The cabin was useful as it accommodated patients when there was shortage of beds and cabins in the hospital.
The cabin was built at Rs 27 lakh with both AC and non AC rooms and the user’s fee is collected from the patients. Baleswar Bar Association secretary Manoj Nayak alleged that the cabin was closed with an ulterior motive.
CDMO Dr BS Pani said, “We don’t have staff to manage the cabin, especially after the ICU was run. We can’t recruit staff as we wish. There are procedures to be followed. Either we can hand over the cabin after completing tendering process or outsource nursing staff.”
On the other hand, Nayak said, “There is a conspiracy to stop the service here. The decision was taken to suit the private nursing homes. The cabins were not opened despite instruction from the district Collector.” He threatened to take to streets if the cabin services were not resumed.
District Collector Sanatan Mallick said, “I have written twice to the CDMO to resume the service. We are trying to operationalise the cabins with the outsourced staff.”