The ongoing heavy rainfall in Odisha has exposed critical flaws in the state’s healthcare system. The Patnagarh government hospital in Balangir district experienced severe flooding, with rainwater penetrating into wards and patient rooms. This resulted in significant difficulties for patients and their families, as water reached their beds.
The flooding at the hospital underscores administrative failures. Visual evidence, including photographs and videos, clearly demonstrates the severity of the flooding and its impact on hospital operations. A complete failure of the drainage system is evident, as a lack of timely drain maintenance led to water accumulation inside the hospital premises.
Adding to the concern, the affected hospital is located within the constituency of Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. This raises serious questions about the government’s and hospital administration’s dedication to safeguarding patients. Local residents have stated that the situation could have been prevented if the hospital administration had been better prepared.
No effective system for water drainage was in place during the heavy downpour. The limited efforts of sanitation workers using wipers and buckets were insufficient to mitigate the flooding. Many patients were forced to relocate to the verandas outside of their wards, where adequate safety measures were also absent.
Patients and their relatives have voiced strong dissatisfaction. Patients reported that instead of receiving medical care, they are struggling to keep dry while attempting to recover. Family members attribute this crisis to the negligence of the hospital administration, leading to unnecessary hardship. They emphasized the scarcity of dry spaces within the hospital, making navigation difficult.
The monsoon season is ongoing, and without proactive measures, the situation could deteriorate further. The public is demanding immediate improvements to hospital infrastructure, including drainage maintenance and the deployment of water removal equipment. The conditions at Patnagarh Hospital not only highlight deficiencies in local healthcare services but also expose the lack of administrative responsiveness within the Deputy Chief Minister’s constituency.