Crumbling Health Infrastructure Belies Odisha's 5T & Mo Sarkar Push

Bhubaneswar: Close on the heels of a child delivery incident on a footpath on the premises of Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, another pregnant woman delivered twins on the verandah of Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) today. While these incidents speaks volumes about the healthcare system in Odisha, the opposition parties today questioned the State government as to why secretaries are doing the ministers' job.

Where were these secretaries till now? Why are they so active now? Are they above the ministers? Where are the ministers?" Congress MLA Sura Routray questioned alleging that the visits of the 5T team and CMO officials to hospital are just a farce.

Routray further alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is well aware of everything (mismanagement in various departments) but he has kept mum.

Responding to Sura's comment, BJD MLA Latika Pradhan said that all the ministers and government employees are properly carrying out their responsibilities. "Does the Opposition want to continue with the same system that had been in for the last 20 years?" Latika counter-questioned.

On the other hand, BJP MLA Kusum Tete today demanded the State government to revoke the suspension order of Pankaj Patel, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) in-charge of Sundergarh district who was suspended by the Secretary of Transformation and Initiatives (5T), VK Pandian, on charges of failing to implement ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative.

"We want Pankaj Patel to be reinstated. 5T is a good initiative of the State government but no there's no reason to take such knee-jerk steps," said the BJP legislator.