Sambalpur: Patients’ Lives at Risk in Burla Vimsar; 3-Hour Power Outage in Cancer Ward, Chemotherapy Conducted Under Mobile Lights

Sambalpur: A severe power outage at Burla Vimsar caused major distress in the cancer ward. Without any prior notice, the GED department cut the electricity, leaving cancer patients in complete darkness. As a result, patients undergoing chemotherapy faced extreme difficulties, and some even had to receive their treatment under mobile phone lights.

This shocking negligence by the GED department has sparked widespread criticism. Many are demanding strict action against those responsible for putting cancer patients’ lives at risk.

Three-Hour Power Outage in Cancer Ward

Yesterday, the cancer ward at Burla Vimsar faced a three-hour-long power cut. With hundreds of cancer patients admitted for treatment, the lack of electricity created a distressing situation. From 12 PM to 3 PM, the power supply was completely disrupted.

This ward is extremely critical as it houses severely ill patients undergoing life-saving treatments. However, without electricity, patients had to endure unbearable conditions for hours.

No Prior Notice: Why Was the Power Cut?

Surprisingly, the power was cut without any prior warning, raising serious concerns. Even more shocking, the hospital’s generator was not turned on during the outage.

At that time, several patients were already receiving chemotherapy, while others were about to start their sessions. With no electricity, doctors had no choice but to use mobile phone lights to continue chemotherapy.

Typically, a single chemotherapy session lasts at least six hours, and during this process, patients often experience severe side effects. It is crucial to maintain a stable temperature and proper monitoring to ensure patient safety. However, due to this power cut, patients suffered in extreme heat and discomfort for hours.

Even after three hours of blackout, the GED department did not take immediate action. Shockingly, after the power was restored, another 15-minute power cut occurred around 4 PM, further worsening the situation.

Hospital Authorities Promise Action

Medical Superintendent Dr. Lalmohan Nayak admitted that the power maintenance company failed to notify the hospital about the outage and assured strict action against those responsible.

As Western Odisha’s only major cancer treatment center, Burla Vimsar serves thousands of patients, making this negligence highly dangerous. People are now demanding government intervention.

Attempts to reach GED SDO Milan Kumar Swain were unsuccessful, fueling accusations of mismanagement. This incident has raised serious concerns about patient safety, and all eyes are on the authorities for action.