Sleep Disorder Up By 20%: HC Asks Odisha DMET To Consider Reopening Of Clinic At SCBMCH

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has directed the Directorate of Medical Education & Training (DMET), Odisha, director to consider reopening of the sleep disorder clinic at SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The two-judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Gourishankar Satapathy issued the order while hearing a PIL seeking intervention against closure of the clinic since 2017. “The DMET will examine the petitioner’s representation and after hearing her take a decision on the issue and communicate it to her within four weeks of the hearing.”

The petitioner, HC lawyer Mrinalini Padhi, had argued that the functioning of the clinic was necessary since there has been a 20 per cent increase in cases of sleep disorders, especially among youngsters and adults after COVID pandemic. She moved the HC after her representation to chief minister last year yielded no response.

The clinic set up in the psychological department of SCBMCH started functioning in March 2013 and nearly 2,600 patients were treated at the outdoor facility by the time it was shut down in December 2017, the petition said.