Sambalpur, July 4: Local residents today blocked the Mumbai-Calcutta National Highway for nearly two hours at Ainthapali Chhak over poor infrastructure at the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of the Medical Sciences and Research (Vimsar) in Burla.
"Child-swapping and allegations of infected blood transfusion have shocked us. Despite repeated request, several posts of the institution have been lying vacant for a long. The indoor services at the cardiology department have stopped because of shortage of doctors," said adviser to the Progressive Sambalpur, the local residents' organisation, Dilip Panda.
"Though an MRI machine has been procured, it is lying idle. Poor patients, who depend on the hospital, have to get the expensive test done outside. We staged a symbolic two-hour road blockade today. If the government does not take required steps to solve the problems, we will intensify the agitation," he said.
Students of Gangadhar Meher University also extended their support to the agitation and took part in the blockade. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on either side of the road because of the agitation.
"This is shocking to see an institution, which is the lifeline of west Odisha, sink gradually. We want the government to take corrective steps," said former president of the varsity's students union Milan Hota.
"Patients from across west Odisha and the neighbouring states depend on the medical facility for health service. However, it is really shocking to see that such an important institute suffer from so many problems," said Panda.
"We want the government to take the latest vigilance raid on the absentee doctors seriously and initiate stern action against them. Moreover, the number of beds in the hospital should also be increased. This apart, it is essential to introduce super-specialisation in the departments of cardiology and neurology," said Progressive Sambalpur convener Sanjit Mohanty.
The agitators, however, withdrew the demonstration after they submitted a memorandum to M.C. Bariha, secretary to the revenue divisional commissioner (north). Bariha assured the agitators that he would forward the memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
