Ashok Pradhan
BHUBANESWAR: The government's ambitious plan to provide uninterrupted power supply to district headquarters hospitals is moving at a snail's pace. According to a recent government review, work is yet to start for dedicated power supply in 10 of the 21 hospitals where such work was conceived with funding from National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) though funds have already been released to the respective district administrations.
The round-the-clock undisturbed power supply is crucial in providing critical care to patients without which intensive care units (ICUs) can't function. Besides, undertaking surgical procedures may be risky without power backup.
Power distributor company Southco is supposed to give the zero power-cut lines to seven district hospitals at Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Boudh, Phulbani and Berhampur. Except for Rayagada and Berhampur, work is yet to commence for the rest five hospitals. Southco pointed out during the review that only Phulbani district had provided Rs 20.50 lakh for the project. In case of Rayagada (which is complete by now), and Koraput, the district administrations are executing the commissioning of infrastructure through another agency.
Another power distributor company, Wesco, is supposed to provide dedicated power line to six hospitals in the western part of the state. While work is yet to commence in Sundargarh, Bhawanipatna and Bargarh. The progress in other three districts of Deogarh, Nuapada and Balangir are in different stages. "The project got delayed because the districts received the funds late. I am hopeful all the six hospitals will be completed in three months," said Wesco CEO P Gopal Reddy.
Similarly, NRHM gave funds in December 2011 to Bhadrak, Balasore and Jajpur district administrations for such power lines in their respective district headquarters hospitals. However, work has progressed in none. Power distributor company Nesco has been entrusted to complete the work in these hospitals.
Health department authorities said the dedicated power supply line work will be completed soon. "The work is being undertaken in phases. All district hospitals will get undisturbed power supply over a period of time," said director of health services Dr Upendra Kumar Sahoo.
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