Petitions filed before NHRC over dilapidated health facilities in Odisha

The Bhubaneswar based rights body, Civil Society Forum on Human Rights (CSFHR) has approached apex rights panel of the country over the dilapidated conditions of public health centres in Odisha.

The working group member of CSFHR and rights activist Akhand has filed 1475 petitions over the matter in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).  These petitions show how the different hospitals across the state have failed to deliver basic service to the patients especially in rural areas.

There are more than 1700 Government-run primary health centres, community health centres and Area hospitals. The Public health centres were designed to play a key role in improving the health of the villagers.

The petitioner alleged that the Government apathy has made public health system a mockery in the state. There are shortage of the doctors and other staff since years. The hospitals are located in old building which have not been whitewashed or painted for years. No proper boundary wall or gate in these hospitals.  Lack of stretchers, wheeled chairs, mosquito nets, water & drinking water and lack of beds are some of the most glaring issues.

“Essential drugs are not available. Patients are deprived of free medicines. No dietary facilities are provided for indoor patients. No safe and disinfection drinking water is available in the hospital. Toilets are defunct. No one is there to take care of the cleaning of washrooms/toilets, alleged Akhand.

OPD and Emergency Service:

A total of 6 hours of Outpatient department (OPD) services is mandatory except Sunday. But doctors are not coming to the hospital regularly. No monitoring mechanism is there to check this absence of the doctors. So OPD is not functioning regular basis.

Intra-natal Care:

Every hospital should have 24-hour delivery services both normal and assisted. But in night shift, it is difficult to find a medical staff in the hospital for deliver purpose. Doctors are not managing labour using Partograph in this hospital. No free and zero expense treatment for pregnant women yet. The Operation Theatre (OT) is defunct. The Labour Room is functioning in very bad hygienic conditions. New born care centre is not available in the hospital, which is the main cause of increasing of child mortality in rural areas, alleged the petitioner.

The petitioner has urged the commission to order the Government to provide basic health service in these hospitals and ensure the regular monitoring of the medical staff.