HC scanner on sanitation, waterlogging at SCB hosp

Cuttack: Orissa high court has asked the advocates’ committee headed by the president of HC Bar Association, Bijay Dash, to inspect and submit a report regarding the overall status of sanitation at SCB Medical College and Hospital here by Sept 19. The special bench constituted for suo motu PILs on civic issues in Cuttack issued the direction on Sept 5 after taking note of media reports. The bench of Justices S K Sahoo and V Narasingh said, “It is borne out from media report(s) that waste water from a nearby overflowing drain inundated the road stretching from forensic medicine & toxicology department to the post-mortem room for which the doctors and hospital staff were forced to remain inside the department.”It was also stated that there are other civic problems in addition to waterlogging in and around other wards.Accordingly, the bench asked the advocates’ committee “to visit the post-mortem centre and other wards of the SCB Medical College and Hospital and submit a report relating to cleanliness, hygiene, etc. on the next date”.“There should not be any hindrance in the functioning of the doctors, staff or inconvenience to the patients and their attendants during such visit of the advocates’ committee to the hospital premises,” the bench specified, adding, “The superintendent of SCBMCH shall make necessary arrangements so that the advocates’ committee perform their assigned work smoothly... The deputy commissioner of police, Cuttack shall make necessary security arrangements.”Reports also said that cleanliness and hygiene of the non-trauma casualty compound of SCB is far from satisfactory and immediate steps are required to be taken as a large number of patients and public visit every day. There is waterlogging in the non-trauma casualty compound due to dripping of water from the canopy over the front portico. The difference in the floor and road level is not adequate. This is another possible reason for waterlogging besides poor drainage during moderate to heavy rain, the reports said.We also published the following articles recently