Not disease, patients worried about honeybees at this Odisha hospital 

These days patients and their attendants visiting the Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) are in a state of panic. They are fearful not as much because of getting transmitted any disease as getting injured in honeybee attacks. 

The mere sight of scores of honeybee hives hanging from the roofs of the DHH is enough to leave anyone in a cold sweat. 

Hundreds of people from different areas are visiting the DHH on a daily basis. On reaching, the sight of honeybee hives hanging menacingly from the roof of the hospital building frightens them to death. They are forced to take utmost care of their patients and themselves or else there is every chance of getting injured in bee attacks. 

“There are honeybee hives all around the hospital. We are staying in a cabin. The bees are also coming into the cabins and attacking people, leaving us afraid. It would be better if the hospital authorities do something in this regard,” said a patient’s relative. 

Echoing the same, a relative of another patient said, “I would like to request the hospital authorities to take steps to remove the beehives.”

When contacted, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Malkangiri DHH said, “The Health Department has already informed the DFO about the honeybee hives. Since special expertise is required to remove beehives, special teams from the DFO office are expected to visit the hospital and remove the hives. But, we are yet to receive any communication from the DFO office in this regard. We will send a reminder to him. We are going to address this problem very soon.”