The District Headquarters Hospital at Sundargarh, where people from Sundargarh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand depend for treatment, has gone into a coma, as there is a dearth of doctors and paramedical staff. The hospital does not even have the equipment to treat critical patients.According to sources, there are 212 doctor posts in the district headquarters hospital, but presently, there are only 143 doctors, out of which 119 are regular, 10 are on adhoc and 14 doctors have got employment on contractual basis. Still there are 69 doctor posts lying vacant in the hospital.
Out of the 69 posts, 24 specialist doctor posts are lying vacant for which critical and seriously ill patients are facing a lot of difficulties. Apart from doctors, there are also 104 posts of health staff and technicians lying vacant. Four out of 104 regular pharmacist posts are lying vacant and five out of 113 staff nurse are lying vacant. Similarly, two posts out of 29 of laboratory Technicians are lying vacant and three of lT(M) out of 18 are vacant. There are also several junior level posts falling vacant in the hospital.
About 300 patients are regularly being admitted in the hospital for treatment but 198 beds are available due to which several patients and their attendants face a lot of difficulties. They have to be laid on verandah of the hospital. Sundargarh Sadar MlA during his recent visit to the hospital had expressed discontent looking at the shabby condition of hospital. There are also problems for patients and their attendants in getting pure water.
According to the hospital authorities, to develop the infrastructure of the hospital, currently a 100-beded maternity and child health ward is being constructed. The NTPC has provided Rs10 crore for infrastructure development of the hospital. CDMO SK Kar said he has intimated about the requirement of staff to his higher authority.