No cough syrup at BMC Hospital; patients allege staff misconduct

Bhubaneswar(By Abhishek Mohanty): Alleged irregularities at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Hospital have sparked fresh complaints from local residents, citing shortages of essential medicines, staff misconduct, and inadequate medical services.

According to the complaints, the hospital operates its services for only three hours a day, yet a single doctor manages the 24-hour outpatient department (OPD). Patients and their attendants also allege rude behaviour by some hospital staff.

The Hospital Protection Committee has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, claiming that despite being aware of the issues, the Chief Medical Officer has failed to take action. Service representative Nilamani Mishra stated that cough syrup is currently unavailable at the hospital, causing difficulties for poor patients.

Mishra also alleged that money is being demanded for ambulance services, which are officially meant to be free. The committee highlighted an incident on January 25, in which a pharmacist at the medicine distribution centre reportedly misbehaved with visitors while dispensing medicines.

Although a show-cause notice was issued by the Chief Medical Officer, no further action has reportedly been taken even after three weeks. Residents expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the capital’s oldest civic hospital.

Despite being brought under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), locals claim there has been little improvement.

The hospital’s endoscopy service has remained defunct for nearly eight years, and residents allege the facility has effectively been reduced to a referral centre.

When contacted, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Siddharth Ray declined to comment on the allegations.