CUTTACK: The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) has provided 10 electric vehicles (EVs) worth a total of Rs 92 lakh to SCB Medical College and Hospital.
The specially-designed vehicles, comprising stretcher, oxygen and seats for attendants, will help in transporting patients across various departments within the hospital premises. The hospital will have to arrange drivers and attendants to operate the vehicles.
As per reports, there are around 20 battery-operated vehicles (BVOs) at SCB MCH that had been provided to the hospital by various companies. However, eight of them are lying defunct at present.
Due to inadequate number of such vehicles, family members and relatives of the patients have to make their own arrangements towards carrying them to different departments and diagnostic centres at the hospital.
SCB MCH registrar (administration) Subash Chandra Ray said the BVOs availed earlier are just like golf carts, requiring frequent maintenance. “However, the 10 EVs provided by HUDCO will require less maintenance in comparison to BVOs and serve different purposes,” he said adding, they will be dedicated for patient transport in SCB MCH in the presence of HUDCO officials soon.