Cong attacks govt on doc vacancy

KENDRAPARA: President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik on Wednesday came down heavily on the State government for the dire state of affairs of healthcare system.
“More than half of the sanctioned doctors’ posts are lying vacant in the State, resulting in a crisis in healthcare delivery.

Besides, there has been large-scale corruption in purchase of medical equipment and consumables when people were battling with the deadly Covid-19,” alleged Patnaik while addressing a meeting here to support the demand for establishment of a medical college at Kendrapara.

Health services in rural areas have taken a hit due to non-appointment of doctors in primary health centres. Due to absence of adequate doctors in government hospitals, villagers are forced to take help of quacks in rural areas. Pregnant women are giving birth before reaching the hospital while the critically ill and injured are succumbing due to delay in delivery of medical care, alleged the OPCC chief.

It is high time the government established a medical college in Kendrapara district to provide better healthcare to people, he said. Patnaik also criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his lackadaisical attitude towards the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh. “Mahanadi is like a mother to the people residing in riverside villages. Both the States have rights over the river.

Chhattisgarh should equally share the water with Odisha,” he said and added that reduction in Mahanadi water flow will have a serious bearing on people of  15 riverside districts.  Attacking the BJP, the OPCC chief said the party believed in lighting fire of communal hatred and turning people against each other. He cautioned people against the political parties that sow the seeds of hatred in minds in the name of religion and caste.

Addressing the meeting, senior Congress leader and Jatani MLA Suresh Routray raised concern over deteriorating law and order situation in the State. “Women and girls are not safe under the rule of this government,” he said. The meeting was also addressed by former minister Ganeswar Behera, ex-MLA of Rajnagar Ansuman Mohanty and Dharanidhar  Nayak.