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Balasore: Leaving public baffled over health care services, the OPD clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here was closed just after two hours of patient check up on its very first day of operation. While political interference is believed to be behind the shocking incidents, local politicians have begun mudslinging.
Days after demands to establish a consultant outdoor clinic with good doctors and facilities, the government opened up the AIIMS OPD clinic on the premises of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) defence colony but within a couple of hours of its first session, the OPD was shut down with the on duty doctors shockingly returning to Bhubaneswar.
A section of people including politicians had raised questions that general public is likely to face difficulties in getting access to the healthcare clinic which is inside a reserved residential colony meant for defence personnel.
"The medical clinic was opened up to cater for the public needs and not for anyone's personal interests so the decision to close the facility is really very saddening and shows narrow mentality," Gopamudra Mohaptra, a social activist lamented before OTV.
When asked about the development, district administration tried to play it down saying that since it’s a weekly check up, the medical facility was closed after the doctors completed their duty. “They have assured that they will check up patients every Saturday at the defence colony,” ADM Manmath Kumar Pani said.
"Since we are unable to provide logistics to open up the clinic, they have chosen to start operation from the defence colony and in the meantime we will try to arrange for alternatives," Pani said.
On the one hand while the public are the biggest sufferer both the ruling BJD and the opposition BJP are mockingly engaging in politics over closure of the healthcare facility.
BJP MLA from Remuna, Govinda Das blamed Balasore MP Rabindra Jena for the mess. “He initially challenged AIIMS Director not to open up the clinic and threatened that he would gherao the medical facility if it starts to function. Jena was trying to take credit for the OPD clinic but since he was not invited for the inauguration, he is trying to play revenge politics,” Das said.
Meanwhile, refuting allegations of the MLA, MP Jena said, “I did not oppose the clinic at the defence colony. I simply meant that for the sake of the general public it should not be operated at a secluded place meant only for defence personnel. The clinic can be operated at district headquarters hospital or else it is of no use."
