Staff members, including doctors and pharmacists, at a government-run hospital in the Indian state of Odisha took on a peculiar precautionary measure as they reported for duty on Wednesday. They wore helmets while attending to their responsibilities. This unconventional practice arose after a section of the hospital’s ceiling collapsed, exposing the substandard conditions prevalent in state government-owned healthcare facilities.
According to reports from local media, a compounder named Sumanta Naik, employed at Dandamunda Hospital in the Balangir district’s Khaprakhol block, narrowly escaped a catastrophic incident when a significant portion of the ceiling slab in the medicine ward came crashing down on Monday. Naik shared his experience, stating, “The incident occurred yesterday at approximately 8:30 am. Both I and a few patients had a close call. In response, I decided to wear a motorcycle helmet,” as quoted by Odisha Bytes.
This incident triggered outrage and panic among both patients and hospital staff members. Local residents expressed their condemnation of the authorities responsible for neglecting the dismal state of the hospital. Balakrushna Purohit, a doctor at Dhandamunda Primary Health Center (PHC), issued a statement revealing that he had engaged in verbal communication with the hospital authorities regarding the urgent need for building repairs. “The top authorities are aware of the deplorable condition of the hospital building. Neglecting maintenance has rendered the building unsafe,” stated Purohit, as reported by Argus.
Sources cited in local media reports disclosed that the Out Patient Department (OPD) building of the health center was constructed a mere five years ago. However, due to shoddy construction work, chunks of the ceiling were peeling off. The locals have demanded an inquiry into the matter, seeking accountability for the dire state of affairs at the hospital.
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