Cuttack: Patients and their attendants at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here are having a tough time as one of the two computed tomography (CT) scan machines at Radiodiagnosis Department of the state’s premier healthcare facility is lying defunct since Friday morning. Sources said the Radiodiagnosis department has been functioning with two CT scan machines, including one on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.
As both machines have been developing snags almost every day, SCB authorities have approached the state government for at least one new imaging machine. “SCB’s Radiodiagnosis department had written to the Health and Family Welfare department for a new CT scan machine last year. The Health Department had informed the SCB that Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited will provide a new machine soon,” said an official requesting anonymity. He said, “We were so optimistic that the location to install the third CT scan machine was also finalised. But the machine is yet to land.” Sushant Mohapatra from Balasore stood in the long queue at the Radiology department for his son for hours but to no avail. Narrating his ordeal, Mohapatra said, “After standing in the queue for around four hours, I was told by the department that the machine was not working. I need to get my son’s CT scan done without a delay as the doctor will start the treatment only after going through the report.” The Balasore resident added that the only way for him was to get the scan done at a nearby private facility.
Acknowledging the breakdown, SCBMCH administrative officer Abinash Rout said the pricy equipment, deployed by a private agency under PPP arrangement, was being repaired as and when required. “We had informed the previous government about the requirement of a new CT scan machine. The government had also sanctioned it. We have also appraised the new government about the hospital’s needs. We are hopeful of having a new imaging machine soon,” Rout pointed out. While SCBMCH offers a 128-slice CT scan for free, private facilities charge at least Rs 2,000 for the imaging.