2,200 medical and paramedical students future at stake after fire at Sum Hospital

Bhubaneswar: As an adverse by-product, the fire at Sum Hospital on Monday has created a lot of uncertainty in the lives of medical professionals doing of medical, dental, pharmaceutical and nursing courses and associated with the hospital through their institutions of study. The future of 2200 medical aspirants is at stake, if the hospital is faced with a closure or sealing. The fire at the hospital has taken 26 lives, arrest of its chairman, Manoj Nayak and deem paneling of the hospital.

Parents and children of students are keeping their fingers crossed.

"We are really worried about the future of our children. We paid lakhs of rupees for their education in the institute and if it would be sealed then not only the money but their careers will be finished without any fault of their. We urge the state government to think twice before taking any such steps," said parent requesting anonymity.

There are 1000 students pursuing courses in the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 650 MBBS and 150 post-graduate students completing their study at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital (IMSSH), four hundred are stationed at the Institute of Dental Sciences and another 60 are present for the Masters in Hospital Administration course.

Hospital closure in all likelihood will create a chaotic situation, similar to the one which resulted, when the Sardar Rajas Medical College (SRMC) closed down. The chaos then saw the Medical Council of India, the state and central governments trying to work out appropriate relocation for the 124 medicos oustered; finally resulting in a three way split into private colleges, of the 41 dislocated from the IMSSH.

"The present and future of the students studying in IMSSH is of paramount importance to us. The closure of the Sardar Rajas Medical College (SRMC) has been an example as to how the future of medical students could plunge into uncertainty. It should not happen here," read a SUM Hospital official release, issued on Saturday.

According to Lawyer Asim Amitav Das, who is handling the SRMC student cases, the hospital closure might lead to the withdrawal of the MCI recognition, resulting in a long drawn legal battle.

“Relocation of students is an uphill task, but the possibilities cannot be ruled out, as similar incidents happened in other parts of the country," he further added.

"It is essential for restoration of normal patient care and treatment in the Sum Hospital, as it is a must for medical education," said the hospital authorities. According to information given by them, Saturday, witnessed 669 patients being treated in different wards of the hospital and another 820 patients were witnessed at the Out Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital.