The Central Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at VSS Medical, considered the lifeline of Western Odisha and the neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, is gasping for breath. For, it does not have adequate number of ventilators.
Of the four ventilators that were installed in the Central ICU, only two are in working condition.
As per reports, two ventilators of the ICU had become non-functional a couple of months back and the authorities had brought in two ventilators from the Swine Flu ward of the hospital as a stop-gap arrangement.
This arrangement, however, was short-lived as all the four ventilators in the ICU broke down a few days later.
Till date, only two of the four ventilators in the ICU could be repaired and the Swine Flu ward is having to do without any of them.
Considered a vital equipment for artificial breathing with the number of accidents and other such cases on the rise, the Central ICU is unable to cope with the patient flow.
While some attributed the delay in repairing of the equipment to centralised purchase system which has made repair a cumbersome job, others said it was lack of responsibility on the part of the hospital staff that has resulted in delay of the repair works.
Sources alleged that in the absence of ventilators, patients are being forced to shift to private hospitals.
Apparently, this is not for the first time that crucial equipment like ventilators have broken down in the VSS Medical affecting health services. Authorities concerned, however, are yet to learn from the previous mistakes even as patients are left to suffer.
The Superintendent of the Medical, L K Dash, admitted to the problem. He said the Central ICU is having to do with two ventilators and a proposal has been sent to the higher authorities for installation of new ventilators.