Odisha : A disturbing situation has come to light at the old District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Bhadrak, Odisha, where food for patients is allegedly being prepared in extremely unhygienic conditions. According to reports, piles of garbage surround the cooking area, and food for patients is being prepared amidst the filth, raising serious concerns about food safety and hygiene.
The surrounding environment is unsanitary, dirty, and poorly managed. A foul odor permeates the area, making it difficult to even approach, yet patients’ meals are being prepared there daily. A local resident alleged that the scene reflects gross negligence, with hygiene and sanitation norms being disregarded, jeopardizing the health of the patients. Although the District Headquarters Hospital has been shifted to a modern building with improved medical facilities in Gelpur, no proper arrangements have been made for preparing patients’ food there. Consequently, the food is being prepared in unsafe conditions at the old hospital premises, he alleged.
A local resident, Jagannath Mallick, lamented, “The food is being prepared in a very dirty place. Eating such food will further deteriorate the health of the patients. Poor patients will suffer the most because of this.” The supervisor of the agency responsible for preparing the patients’ food stated that repeated requests have been made to shift the kitchen to a new location, but no alternative site has been provided yet.
Supervisor Raghunath Sahu said, “The DHH was suddenly shifted to Gelpur. Construction work is still underway, and the authorities have asked for more time. A dedicated clean space is required for food preparation, and it will be ready within 20 days.”
The Bhadrak DHH caters not only to patients from Bhadrak district but also from neighboring districts, with hundreds of people visiting daily for treatment. In this situation, the preparation of food for patients in unsanitary conditions has raised serious concerns. Many fear that instead of aiding recovery, consuming food prepared under such conditions could further deteriorate the patients’ health.
Responding to the issue, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Sudhir Nayak said that the hospital was shifted from Nayabazar to Gailpur in a hurry, which did not allow sufficient time to make proper arrangements for the kitchen facilities. He stated that corrective measures are being taken and a dedicated kitchen will be constructed inside the Gailpur District Headquarters Hospital as soon as possible. Nayak assured, “The old hospital has been shifted. The construction of the kitchen at the new location is not yet complete. It will be completed very soon. However, we are maintaining the quality of the food, and there is no cause for concern.”
