"Care poor patients"

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan. 19: Acting on a complaint made by the joint director of health services (leprosy), state health minister Dr Surya Kanta Mishra has instructed the authorities of Malda district hospital to take special care of poor patients whose earning is below Rs 2,000 per month.The chief medical officer of health, Malda, Dr Radha Raman Banik, said that the minister who visited the hospital last evening, instructed the authorities concerned to buy medicines from the district illness assistance fund and provide the same to the poor patients.It was alleged that the poor patients visiting the Malda district hospital had to suffer a lot as they were finding it difficult to purchase medicines from outside. Despite Citu’s objection, the minister reportedly suggested the health officials to recruit ex-army men as security staff at the Malda district hospital. The district health authorities were not in a position to engage the ex-army men as security staff following resistance from local political leaders, including the Citu activists.Since local youths have been working at the hospital as security guards, the political leaders were not allowing ex-army men to take charge. It may be recalled that after a recent visit to the hospital, the joint director of health service (leprosy) had suggested the director of health services to immediately transfer the superintendent and a physiotherapy technician of the Malda district hospital, besides taking disciplinary action against them. The state official had also pointed out the irregularities in ECG unit, blood bank, kitchen and diet supply to the patients. “Practically there is no administration in the hospital,” the joint director, had mentioned in his letter to the director of health services. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the Malda district magistrate. “It appeared that NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation ) guidelines were not being properly followed as evidenced from the discussion with the medical officer of the blood bank and other para-medical staff,” the letter, read.#