VSS state-of-affairs irks HC team

SAMBALPUR: A three-member delegation from the Orissa High Court led by amicus curiae Prabhat Ranjan Dash expressed dissatisfaction at the facilities available in VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla, during its visit on Saturday. Dr P K Pradhan and advocate Tarananda Pattnaik are the other members of the team. The delegation said besides insufficient number of doctors and para-medical staff in the hospital, there was lack of medical equipment to treat critical and emergency patients. Despite bringing this to the notice of the State Government, no step has been taken so far. Dash said there was just one faculty in Neuro-Surgery Department and even the Cardiology Department is devoid of basic life-saving equipment. “These departments are not conducive for treatment of critical patients,” he said. Even the Burn Unit does not have any facility and the mandatory Plastic Surgery Department which should be attached is not there, Dash added. Similarly, the five dialysis machines are insufficient and the required number of doctors are not available. As far as the 10-bed ICU is concerned, the four ventilators are not functioning. Informing that funds have been sanctioned for uninterrupted power supply, he said that the corridors of the hospital do not have lights and no fans in the wards.