Cuttack, Aug. 29: The proposed special ward for destitute patients at SCB Medical College and Hospital is yet to become functional.

This is causing inconvenience to other patients coming to the hospital as most of the destitute patients being admitted here have mental disorders.

However, an official source said all the necessary groundwork had been completed and the destitute ward would be made operational by next month. “The destitute ward will start functioning at SCB within 15 days,” said district collector Girish SN.

A district administration official said initially the ward would provide special care and treatment to people having psychiatric problems.

“Most of the destitute patients also have mental disorders and they relieve themselves on floor or beds. Nurses and others are reluctant to clean them while shortage of Group-D employees has compounded the problems. This is also causing problems for other patients undergoing treatment in the ward,” said a senior doctor.

At present, three destitute patients are undergoing treatment at various departments in the hospital. It becomes difficult for the nurses and other medical employees to provide treatment to them, who often move out of the wards.

“We have already asked Asha, an NGO, to provide adequate number of attendants to take care of the patients. The attendants will take care of the needs of the patients undergoing treatment at the special ward,” the district collector said.

Earlier, the SCB authorities had decided to start a dedicated ward for destitute patients from May 26.

However, the inauguration was postponed to a month keeping in view the heatwave condition and rath yatra and shortage of Group-D employees. SCB officials said over 25 destitute patients were admitted to various departments in a month and taking care of them was a problem because of shortage of attendants.

Such patients, left on road by their family members owing to old-age related diseases, are rescued and admitted to SCB by local people and police. But, problems should be over after the destitute ward with 20 beds started functioning from the renovated building of pulmonary diseases ward, said SCB superintendent D.N. Moharana.

Moharana said the special ward for destitutes would be the first of its kind in the state and subsequent efforts would be initiated to expand the special ward.