Kendrapara, Sept. 20: The government-run eye hospital here has failed to deliver the goods because of an acute manpower crunch.

Ophthalmologic surgery has become a thing of past at this lone government eye care unit of the district. The last surgery was conducted here in 2008. Those suffering from eye problems have stopped visiting the centre, as it has almost stopped functioning. The 20-bed eye care unit has equipment and an operation theatre for ophthalmologic surgery.

However, a single surgeon mans the unit. The unit has two more personnel — an ophthalmology technician and a fourth class staff member.

“On most days, the complex wears a deserted look. Everyday, it functions for three hours from 9am to noon. For the rest of the time, patients are greeted by locked gates,” said Sachikanta Nath, member, district headquarters hospital advisory committee.

“The male and female wards, each of which has 10 beds, remain locked up for most of the year. I have never seen a patient being admitted here. I have drawn the attention of authorities on several occasions, but all has fallen on deaf ears,” said activist Rohit Mohanty.

People with eye ailments no longer depend on this centre. The majority of them go to private eye care centres, Nath said. The government-run wing has two specialists with sanctioned posts. But the hospital is running with a single surgeon.

The unit also lacks drinking water. There are cracks in the overhead water tanks and the public health engineering department has stopped supplying drinking water to the 20-bed hospital.

“The eye unit is encountering several problems. The district headquarters hospital authorities have drawn the attention of the state health services directorate several times,” said chief district medical officer Shantilata Sharma.

“Unless the government posts adequate manpower, it is becoming an uphill task to properly manage the unit,” Sharma said.

“For cataract surgery, we are taking the help of private hospitals and non-government organisations. The state government is bearing the treatment cost from national blindness control programme grants,” she said.