Umarkote: Although the Odisha state government has officially upgraded the Umarkote Community Health Centre (CHC) in Nabarangpur district to a Sub-Divisional Hospital, there is widespread public dissatisfaction in the region due to the lack of specialist doctors appointed by the state. As a result, patients from this region still rely heavily on hospitals in Visakhapatnam and Raipur for specialized treatment.
As per norms, the hospital is supposed to have specialists in medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, anesthesia, ophthalmology, ENT (ear, nose, throat), and more. However, unfortunately, only one gynecology specialist along with eight general doctors are currently posted. For years, the health department has failed to appoint key specialists in essential fields like medicine, surgery, anesthesia, and ENT.
Umarkote Hospital serves as a referral center, receiving critical patients from local hospitals in Raighar, Jharigaon, and Chandahandi blocks. Additionally, patients from nearby Chhattisgarh, including Dugam, also come here for treatment. But ironically, this referral hospital lacks the very specialists needed to treat such critical cases, resulting in patients being sent to the District Headquarters Hospital in Nabarangpur immediately after arrival.
On average, around 400 patients visit the hospital daily, including 100 children, 100 women (especially gynecology cases), and 200 general patients. Due to the absence of specialists, unauthorized and unqualified “quack” doctors and even some dental practitioners have started exploiting innocent villagers, charging them for substandard or misleading treatment.
Even worse, some doctors from Koraput Medical College and Visakhapatnam are reportedly treating patients illegally by setting up in medical stores in the area. Patients with better financial means flee to Raipur or Visakhapatnam at the earliest sign of serious illness.
Despite repeated protests and demonstrations by local residents, demanding specialist appointments at the Umarkote hospital, government assurances have gone unfulfilled. People have frequently taken to the streets, and though the administration promises action during such movements, the issues remain unresolved.
If the state government does not immediately appoint the required specialist doctors, there is a growing possibility of a major public agitation in the near future.