The Manav Adhikar Suraksha Manch on Friday urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take immediate steps for installation of CT scan and digital X-Ray machines and stopping of users’ fee collection at the MKCG Medical College Hospital in the better interests of the people of south Odisha.
The Manch submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Chief Minister, before the Superintendent of the medical college in this regard.
Categorising its all demands into three points, the Manch alleged that the Government has already taken initiatives to privatise the premier hospital through PPP modes.
“By constituting Swasthya Bikash Samiti and Users’ Fund, the Government is trying to put the health sector expenditure on the general public. People have the legitimate right to get health services from the Government. If the process continues, the health sector will soon be under control of private firms through PPP modes,” alleged the Manch.
Mentioning that security guards appointed to give protection to doctors are being paid from users’ fees, the forum said, “It is a well planned loot process initiated by the Government. The collection of users’ fee should be stopped forthwith.”
Similarly, it demanded that the old X-Ray machine and the CT scan be replaced at the earliest.
“The X-Ray machine is printing unclear images for which patients are getting wrong treatments in many cases. The CT scan machine has been defunct for over a year. Taking advantage of this, doctors are sending patients to outside clinics and labs and collecting lakhs of rupees,” alleged the forum.
The Manch too threatened that it would stage a mass dharna at the Superintent’s office if demands are not met soon.
Manch coordinator Abani Kuamr Gaya, Maguni Nahak, Surjya Kant Patro, Maheswar Badatya and some others undersigned the memorandum.