Sambalpur: The CT scan machine of VIMSAR in Burla town of Sambalpur district is lying defunct for a month now. Patients, particularly the poor who need the facility the most, suffer.
Patients are forced to visit private clinics and get fleeced. Patients from different parts of this district, neighbouring districts visit VIMSAR on a daily basis. Over 50 patients turn up at the CT scan facility on any given day.
The facility is free of cost. Since the machine is out of order, patients have no choice but to visit the private hospitals or clinics, coughing up something between Rs 1,500 and Rs 5,000.
There is only one private hospital in Burla town. According to some town dwellers, the private hospital allegedly gives commissions to doctors at VIMSAR for sending patients to it.
A few days back, a person of Putiapali village had to rush his nephew who suffered injuries in a road mishap to VIMSAR. He was admitted to emergency department. The doctor attending him prescribed CT scan.
He asked the patient’s attendants to get it done at the private hospital, mentioning the name of the particular private hospital in the town.
After coming to know about the CT scan machine lying defunct, the family members didn’t want to take risk and took their patient to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
His health condition is stated to be better now. Swami Agnivesh Bichar Manch has already taken the matter up with director of VIMSAR Prof Lalit Meher.
The outfit proposed that either the state health department should procure a machine for VIMSAR or VIMSAR should buy it from its own fund. The outfit also drew the attention of the Chief Minister, health minister and secretary of the Health department to the situation.
When contacted, the director of VIMSAR said the CT scan machine is not working. Even though it was repaired a few days ago, it has developed faults once again. The company that installed the machine has already been asked to repair it.
The company is learnt to have made an agreement with VIMSAR to repair the machine whenever required. “One month has passed since the machine went out of order. But the company has not repaired the machine as yet.
In such case, the VIMSAR authorities can take legal action against the company on the basis of the agreement. But it is yet to be understood why no action has so far been taken against the supplier,” asked some local people.
PNN