BHUBANESWAR: Once a pioneer in renal transplantation, SCB medical college and hospital (MCH) in Cuttack is now grappling with a severe crisis, thanks to the apathetic attitude of the Odisha government towards the premier healthcare institution.
SCB MCH was one of the few state-run hospitals to start renal transplantation in the country way back in 2012. A decade later, the transplantation unit is in limbo due to prolonged vacancies in the department of nephrology, which is crucial for both pre and post-operative care of kidney patients.
While the hospital had recorded 194 renal transplantations till 2022, only 14 were conducted in 2023 and nine in 2024. The hospital that was conducting at least two transplants a month until a few years back, has managed to perform only one transplant in last three months.
According to hospital records, of the nine transplants performed in 2024, three patients succumbed in the ICU itself and two are now undergoing dialysis. The hospital was also under scanner for poor transplantation in 2023 as the team had to remove a cadaver kidney transplanted in a patient after the ‘diseased’ organ stopped functioning and led to further complications.
The fall in transplant numbers is attributed to severe staff shortage, with key posts including that of a professor and one assistant professor, lying vacant for a long time. “If the shortage of doctors delayed evaluation of patients, post surgery care is even worse. Students are managing the patients leading to complications and transplantation failure. Once successful, the renal transplantation programme is now leading to nowhere,” said a doctor.
Sources said kidney transplant patients had levelled serious allegations against the authorities of the nephrology department for delaying surgery under different pleas, prescribing substandard drugs supplied by the state medical corporation and misbehaving with patients, who demanded quality drugs.
“Although the then chief secretary had asked the Health secretary on July 3, 2023 to inquire into the allegations made against associate professor Dr Aruna Acharya, no probe was conducted and she is still continuing in the department as in-charge HOD. The government is yet to appoint a regular professor to run the department,” sources said.
Dr Acharya refuted the allegations, stating that the patients were forcing her to prescribe drugs of certain brands, which was not feasible as per rules. “I am doing my best to manage the department under challenging circumstances. We have conducted one transplant five days back and four more are in the pipeline,” she said.
In 2023, the NMC had also flagged faculty shortage and issued a show cause notice to de-recognise DM and MCh seats in nephrology as professor post had been lying vacant for more than two years then.
Health secretary Aswathy S assured to look into the state of affairs. “We will enquire and take necessary action at the earliest,” she told The New Indian Express.