BHUBANESWAR: A three-member enforcement team of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has found major health facilities of the State, including Government hospitals, operating X-ray diagnostic devices without mandatory licence.The AERB team sealed several radiation application devices at the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack on Tuesday. Warning to the catheterisation laboratory of the Cardiology Department was issued to comply with the licensing procedures within a month or face shutdown.
The AERB is the regulatory body under atomic Energy Act, 1962 for all nuclear and radiation facilities to ensure that neither workers nor public is exposed to radiation beyond prescribed limits. In the last 48 hours, the team sealed 18 devices and slapped notice on 15 others in eight hospitals and facilities in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The team sealed at least five devices in Radiology and Diagnostics Department of SCB Medical College. A mammography machine, two Orthopantomogram (OPG) and as many X-ray equipment were sealed during the inspection. Earlier, four equipment of Dental College of the hospital were sealed by the team for absence of licence. Similarly, two dental and as many X-ray devices of the hospital were issued warning.
The team, which comprised scientific officers of AERB Arti Kulkarni, Dr Rajib Lochan Sha and Anirban Guin, inspected Capital Hospital in the morning and sealed five equipment for absence of licence while warning was issued for the CTscan, cath lab and X-ray machines. At three more private diagnostic centres in Cuttack, the regulatory inspection team sealed two devices and issued warning to five more.
On a four-day surprise visit, the team visited two private hospitals and a diagnostic facility in the City on Monday.
The X-ray facilities at Vivekananda and Neelachal hospitals were found to be licensed while the mammography and OPG equipment at Nidan were not. Both were sealed. Warning to seal the CT scan and X-ray machines has been issued if licence for radiation-safety operation is not secured soon.
Large number of diagnostic X-ray machines are installed and operated across the country but many operate without regulatory requirements. While licensing is mandatory for radiation safety of medical practitioners, operators and patients, the AERB is now issuing e-licence free of cost.