Rourkela: At a time when top bureaucrats in the State are rigorously visiting various hospitals to review the implementation of Odisha government's 5T model of governance, the initiative seems to have fallen flat in Rourkela Government Hospital of Sundergarh district.
The hospital, which caters to the need of thousands of patients, has been facing shortage of rabies vaccine for the last 10 days, said sources. Meanwhile, tension erupted at the hospital today following protest by people over the shortage of the vaccine.
Over 50 people staged a dharna in front of the hospital demanding immediate addressing of the issue. The agitators alleged that they are facing considerable inconvenience owing to the lack of highly-essential vaccines used for treating dog bite patients.
Sources said private medicine stores in the city also run out of the vaccine which has compounded the situation.
On the other hand, the hospital authorities expressed helplessness over shortage of the vaccine. The authorities claimed that the shortage aroused as the government stopped supply of the vaccine.
Asked about the situation, State health and family welfare minister Naba Kishore Das said, “I have directed the department officials to take immediate measures for supply of anti-rabies vaccines to the hospital on a war-footing basis.”