CWS Hospital in Rourkela is ailing

Rourkela: The Community Welfare Society (CWS) Hospital was established in November 2002 on two acres of land at Jagda in Rourkela with 50 beds.

The poor people of Rourkela and nearby areas were hopeful of getting good health services at low costs in the CWS Hospital. While inaugurating the hospital, the then Rourkela Steel Plant Managing Director Sanak Mishra had expressed the hope that the hospital would cater to the needs of poor patients. In course of time, the bed strength of the hospital was increased threefold. But at the same time, the hospital deviated from its motto of serving the poor. Now the higher-ups are availing of treatment at concessional rate while the poor people are asked to pay more.

Ispat General Hospital, the biggest hospital in the Steel City, provides free medical services to RSP employees and their dependants but is very expensive for outsiders. Rourkela Government Hospital faces the problem of lack of facilities and shortage of doctors.

So, when CWS Hospital was set up, it brought a ray of hope for the poor people of the region. Sources say there is one doctor for one department and the doctor attends to the patients only once or twice a week. Due to the absence of doctors, patients, who are in critical condition, are compelled to shift to other hospitals.

A senior doctor of the hospital, on condition of anonymity, said if the surgical materials for Central Store are purchased through tender process, then the hospital and the patients will be benefited. But unfortunately, this is not being done, he said.

Many employees of the hospital are not getting minimum wages. When the hospital was set up, it was decided to provide employment opportunities to the locals. This was also not done. In 2002, there was an advertisement for recruitment of 24 professionals for different posts. But after that, there has been no advertisement for recruitments though several professionals are getting posted.