Ironically, jail inmates of the Kendrapada Sub-Jail are deprived of proper medical facility for the last one year as no doctor has visited to the jail for conducting check-ups. Curiously, this is happening despite persistent reminder from the jail superintendent and the District Committee, comprising the district Collector, the SP and the District Judge, to the CDMO of Kendrapada. According to Jail Superintendent -cum-Jailor of the jail Biren Kumar Sahu, 183 jail inmates, including nine females and three septuagenarian inmates, are living in the jail. They have to depend on only a pharmacist whenever they fall sick. However, the jail authority has to find it tough when there is a serious health case. Though there are guidelines that a doctor should pay a visit every day to provide health checkups and treat the ailing jail inmates, but it is violated here.
Recently, 38-year-old jail inmate Jairam Rout on March 17 last had died while he was being released from the jail. The death occurred as the deceased failed to get proper treatment for an hour at jail due to lack of doctor. “I have several times brought to the notice of the CDMO of Kendrapada to send a doctor everyday to provide treatment to the jail inmates but in vain. When a case is serious, the ailing one is sent to the district headquarters hospital or the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack,” said Sahu. When contacted CDMO Binay Prasad Prusty stated that the district headquarters hospital is functioning without medicine specialists and required number of doctors. As such, it is difficult to spare a doctor for the jail, he explained.