Rourkela Sub Divisional Railway Hospital faces Inadequate Infrastructure, Staff Shortage

The hospital, designed to serve around 6,000 SER employees stationed at Bondamunda and Rourkela along with their families, has a capacity of 65 beds but falls drastically short in delivering adequate medical care, reports The New Indian Express. According to sources, the hospital lacks specialist doctors and a functional pathological testing facility. Currently, there are only three MBBS doctors available, who not only handle patient care and emergencies but also juggle administrative responsibilities on a rotational basis. 

The hospital's equipment is outdated and inadequate for modern medical needs. The X-ray machine is old and unreliable, and the facility lacks in-house pathological testing. For basic pathological tests, a private technician visits once a day to collect samples for external testing, leaving no provision for urgent tests, reports the Daily.

Moreover, the hospital's operation theatre remains unusable due to the absence of a surgeon, forcing the immediate referral of emergency and accident cases to other hospitals such as Ispat General Hospital (IGH), Rajasthan Seva Sadan, and CWS Hospital. A private gynaecologist provides consultation services only on a case-by-case basis, further highlighting the hospital's limitations.

According to the Daily, D Chandrasekhar Rao, the secretary of the Bondamunda unit of SER Men’s Congress (SERMC), expressed concerns over the hospital's inadequate staffing and facilities. The hospital, which is supposed to have seven doctors as per the sanctioned strength, is currently managed by only three.

Rao emphasized that without advanced medical facilities, the hospital is only able to treat common ailments like fever, cold, cough, blood pressure issues, and blood sugar fluctuations. During a visit by the principal chief medical officer from SER headquarters in Kolkata, the staff urgently requested the deployment of more doctors and an upgrade in facilities to better serve the community.

The jurisdiction of this sub-divisional railway hospital extends to the entire districts of Sundargarh and Jharsuguda, amplifying the need for more comprehensive medical services. Former Union Minister and ex-Rourkela MLA, Dilip Ray, recently met with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to request an upgrade of the hospital's facilities. Ray reported receiving a positive assurance from the minister, who acknowledged the critical situation and promised to address the hospital's shortcomings. Additionally, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Chakradharpur Division of SER, Arun Jatoh Rathod, conducted a recent visit to assess the hospital's conditions and needs.