Odisha Government Suspends 6 Staff Members Of Cuttack’s Sishu Bhawan

On September 1 The government of Odisha suspended six staff members, including two staff nurses, three medical attendants and a sweeper, after a scathing report was given by the Union Ministry visited the Sishu Bhawan.The government has decided to file FIRs against the attendants and the Class IV staff while the nurses have been placed under suspension. Two other nurses have been transferred from Sishu Bhawan on administrative grounds, according to sources.

The State Government’s swift action after the Cental team’s report was made public is surprising even as a high level technical committee headed by the State DMET is yet to submit its report. The committee, constituted by the State government on August 25, was asked to submit its report in 10 days.

Only 7 senior resident doctors from SCB Medical College and Hospital have been deputed at Sishu Bhawan temporarily with the hospital catering to 500 indoor patients and over 200 patients at the OPD daily. Also the hospital has a vacancy of 28 doctors against a sanctioned strength of 48.

Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda had sent a team of four experts headed by a joint secretary, following the intervention of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. After the team’s visit on August 28 and 29, they suggested improvement in the level of competence and preparedness by the hospital to deal with critical cases.

The team has also suggested for strict monitoring of sick children, 24-hours facilities for clinical investigations inside the Sishu Bhawan with adequate men in position and regular strict infection surveillance system as short term measures to check the spurt in infant deaths. The central team has also suggested for some long term measures as well.

Source-Medindia