No doctors for SCB dengue ward

Cuttack: After widespread criticism and personal intervention of the Cuttack collector, SCB Medical College and Hospital authorities finally opened an exclusive dengue ward at the trauma care center of the hospital but without a doctor.

Although, the 30-bedded ward was thrown open yesterday, the High Court appointed Advocates' Committee which visited the facility last evening said in its report, "Too little has been done too late".

"The ward is quarantined, beds are well-laid and toilets are spruced up, but dengue patients refuse to go to the ward for the Hospital authorities have not provided a single doctor or any paramedic to man the ward," said advocate Tarananda Pattanayak, a member of the panel.

At least five patients suffering from dengue are currently undergoing treatment in the medicine ward of the Hospital and everyday at least 10-12 suspected cases come to the Hospital seeking treatment.

"We fail to understand why the Hospital authorities are so casual in their approach for an exclusive dengue ward even as the first case of dengue was admitted in the hospital on August 4 this year," Pattanayak said.

The panel would file an affidavit in the High Court this week if the ward is not made operational immediately after posting doctors, nurses and other staff to man it.

The panel seemed to be annoyed with the Hospital authorities for deliberately trying to defy the orders of the High Court in this context.

"The High Court very specifically had passed an order last year for opening an exclusive dengue ward with proper facilities," he said.