A Hospital Or A Death Chamber?
Bhubaneswar: Sulochana Sampati , a patient suffering from high fever for the last few days is seen sleeping on a bedspread on the floor of the Capital Hospital as there are no beds available in the hospital.
“There was a sudden commotion in the evening in the ward. No one informed us what was going on. People started shouting ‘fire, fire’ and smoke could also be seen. The nurses and attendants rushed towards the exits trying to save their own lives, and we were left to fend for ourselves. No one was there to give us directions or help us out. We also managed to rush downstairs with great difficulty as all were trying to rush out,” revealed Raghunath Champati, her husband.
“My father, Pradyumna Nanda, is a bed-ridden patient having urology problems. I had come with a hope that my father gets better treatment facility in the renowned hospital of the capital city,” revealed Badrinath Nanda whose father is under treatment in ICU, Capital Hospital.
Nanda also added, “I had admitted my father a few days back, and we were stationed in the fourth floor. In the evening, at around 8pm, there was outbreak of fire in the first floor. I thought it would be doused off quickly, but half-an-hour later, it was still there. Hurriedly, I tied my father to a stretcher as he is unable to move. Then I moved him downstairs, and was taken brought to Capital Hospital in an ambulance. ”
“Now the hospital authorities are revealing that they won’t be able to treat my father as they are not well equipped. They are referring his case to SCB, Cuttack or SUM Hospital. I don’t have the required money or manpower to transfer my bed-ridden father to a number of hospitals. Moreover, I won’t go back to SUM Hospital at any cost,” blasted an enraged Badrinath.
He is not the single one to have undergone this pain. As much as 20 people have died in the grievous fire tragedy, and more than 30 are been treated in different hospitals around the city.
“I had admitted my paralytic mother in this hospital half an hour before the fire broke out. My brother asked a security guard when he noticed some smoke, but the guard assured us by saying not to worry. But a little later, the fire alarm was set on, which made everyone in the emergency ward rush to the exit. We carried our paralysed mother and rushed. It was a stampede like situation in the hospital, with people running hither and thither,” informed Napina Routray, son of Sita Dei, the patient.
She has been shifted to Capital Hospital for treatment.
“I had come all the way from Godipali village of Nayagarh district in a bid to save my mother’s life, but here the tables had turned. Her life, including ours, were in danger. People broke the glass panes, were rushing to the exit, and we were trembling with a fear for our life. It was a horrible situation.
“We were here not for treatment but for death. My daughter-in-law was here having all tests done for the last three days, but last night we ran to save lives. Now we are bound to come back to thjis ill-fated hospital only to collect her reports. Our belongings and medicines are still inside the hospital,”said an inconsolable Harihar Satpathy.
“Fire safety measures are essential in a hospital. The government should ensure that fire safety measures should be taken in all hospital,” he added.
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