Dog days for Kendrapara district headquarters hospital

KENDRAPARA: The district headquarters hospital here is facing flak after stray dogs were found sleeping on the beds at the Covid-19 isolation ward recently. 

The incident has led to a backlash by people and patients who alleged dogs enter the hospital wards regularly.

Pradip Das, a social worker said dogs roam freely in the hospital’s wards and can also be found in the toilets.

Even as Covid-19 patients and their relatives can often be seen begging for a bed in Government hospital, dogs resting on the beds has raised serious concerns about the state of public health care in the district. 

Chief district medical officer Dr Anita Patnaik said a few stray dogs managed to enter the isolation ward due to absence of security guards and there were no patients in the ward when the incident occurred. “We are investigating the incident and will punish the guilty. The isolation ward will be sanitized soon,” she said. 

The hospital authorities shifted the blame to Kendrapara municipality and said it is the responsibility of the civic body to check stray dog menace in the town. Dr Patnaik said she will urge the municipality officials to ensure dogs are kept off the hospital premises. 

A nurse, on condition of anonymity, said it is common for stray dogs to roam in the wards and the staff often faces difficulties due to this.

This is not the first time when a hospital in the district has been accused of negligence. Last month, rainwater had entered the COVID isolation ward of the community health centre at Rajnagar.