Cuttack: Two days after an elderly man was found dead inside the premises of SCB Medical College and Hospital here, another patient was found lying unattended on an ATM verandah near the old medicine ward on Tuesday.
According to the sources, the patient was admitted to the casualty of the hospital about eight days back. However, under what circumstances he reached the ATM verandah is yet to be known.
After the old man was found dead on the hospital premises on Sunday morning, SCB Emergency Officer Dr Bhubanananda Maharana on Monday had informed the media about the decision to open special wards for the destitute patients in five departments— Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Medicine, Obstetrics & Paediatrics— within a week.
On Sunday morning, an old man with a swarm of flies all over his face was found lying near the medicine ward of the hospital. Near the body was a packet of biscuits, a water bottle and a slender stick.
Following information, a team of mediapersons reached SCB and informed the hospital authorities. Acting on the information, the authorities informed the police who arrived at the spot and removed the body with the help of the volunteers.
Chairperson of the Regional Development Trust, Ramesh Chandra Sahu said the old man was discharged from the ward a week ago. He, however, said that the hospital authorities had no control over the destitute patients. “We cannot forcibly keep them in the ward. In most cases, these patients leave the hospital without informing the authorities,” he pointed out.
