Cuttack, Feb. 13: Orissa High Court has sought a report from the advocates’ committee about the consequences of a private takeover of sanitation and health services at various areas and outsourcing for SCB Medical College Hospital.

The advocates’ committee on health care services, constituted by the high court, is inquiring into a private takeover in areas such as sanitation, outsourcing of laundry service and food supply to patients at the premier medical college of Odisha.

The court has sought a report from the advocates’ committee after questions were raised about the consequences of private takeover of sanitation and other works as well as hospital services.

The SCB administration has been skirting responsibility after privatising and outsourcing services, which was hampering the quality of services, it was alleged at the hearing on a PIL last month.

The court has been monitoring health care facilities at the premier hospital as part of adjudication of the PIL since 2006.

The advocates’ committee was constituted as part of the monitoring process.

“The committee is expected to ascertain whether involvement of private parties in critical aspects of running the hospital is serving the public’s interest and is successful and productive on all sides,” amicus curiae Pravat Ranjan Dash said today.

“The probe into food supply or daily diet for patients is complete. A report will be submitted to the court after an inquiry into sanitation and laundry service, the supply of medicine at a subsidised rate to poor patients under the Odisha State Treatment Fund and disposal of bio-medical waste,” said Dash, who is also a member of the committee.

Food supply to patients has been outsourced to Utkal Suppliers, while laundry services and disposal of biomedical waste is being looked after by Mediaid Marketing Service. According to the agreement, Mediaid Marketing Service is supposed to supply of clean bed sheets to patients. Under the agreement, the agency is responsible for collection of dirty linen from all wards, operation theatres and cleaning and redistribution to the wards on a daily basis.

The hospital had also engaged Paritosh Agency for the sanitation and cleanliness work in the hospital, while allowing a fair price medicine outlet to be set up by HLL Lifecare, in collaboration with the state government. All medicines, including generic medicines, are expected to be available at subsidised rates. The outlet is supposed to extend the services to poor patients under the Odisha State Treatment Fund and Rastriya Swastha Bima Yojna.