Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, May 18:

In a shocking instance narrating the sorry state of affairs in the state's energy and health services,  the district headquarters hospital in this important western Odisha city is running without electricity since Friday afternoon leading to great  misery of the  in-patients as well as the hospital staff.

Hospital authorities said they have lodged complaints with the local WESCO authorities but power was not restored till reports last came in. They were reportedly told by the WESCO authorities that the transformer in the hospital premises had burnt down because of overloading and efforts were on to replace it.

While patients used hand fans to get some relief from the scorching heat wave conditions prevailing in Sambalpur the doctors in the hospital had to write prescriptions using candle light after sunset, said sources.

Bilas Tandia, a staff nurse at the hospital said the in-patients in the gynecology and obstetrics and pediatric wards were the worst sufferers.

Husband of a woman who has undergone surgery at the time of delivering a child said with the heat wave condition outside and no power in the hospital, it was hell of a situation for the surgery patients who can not move out of their beds.

Deepak Nath, a doctor attending to the patients, who was found drenched in his own sweat, said “We have been complaining to the WESCO authorities for quick restoration of power since this is a hospital. They have been assuring us of it but nothing has happened yet and it is already more than two days. Since it's our duty to treat the patients we are somehow managing against all odds, as you can very well see”.

An official of the NHRM said the power generator set at the hospital too is not functioning properly but claimed efforts were on to supply power  through diesel generators.

However, the CDMO and ADMO of the hospital were not available for their comments.