A Standing Committee of the Assembly for Health and Family Welfare and Women and Child Development Departments led by MlA Surjya Narayan Patro that visited the VSS Institute of Medical Science and Research (VSSIMSAR) (formerly VSS Medical College and Hospital) found several discrepancies and was unhappy with the messy state of affairs.
“The doctors stay at Cuttack and take their salary from Burla from the poor men’s money without doing any work,” lamented Patro during a review meeting with the district officials. “The number of absentees of the doctors is more in VSSIMSAR who concentrate more on private practice,” Patro said. Similarly, as to the rural health service, he came to know from the CDMO that doctors only work in the rural hospitals during day time and come back to Sambalpur at night. CDMO Dr JK Samantaray also honestly admitted the truth.
Patro and other MlAs, including Dr Raseswari Panigrahi, Radharanai Panda, Tukuni Sahu and Bhujabal Majhi asked the officials about the current scenario on jaundice in Sambalpur. Sambalpur Municipal Corporation Commissioner, PHED executive engineer and official heads of other departments narrated the steps taken to combat jaundice from the town. “The entire old pipe connection will be replaced phase wise.
At the same time, the old pipes in the more vulnerable areas have been replaced on war footing basis within the last six months which have yielded results,” said PHED executive engineer MK Nanda. “All the leakages in the town have totally been repaired and water contamination has stopped,” he maintained.