CUTTACK: The requirement of CT scans during the coronavirus pandemic increasing enormously notwithstanding, the SCB Medical College and Hospital, also the premier Covid-19 hospital of the State, presents a picture of complete collapse of the system.
With two of the CT Scan machines at the hospital developing glitches frequently, patients have no option but to rely on private diagnostic centres which charge anything between Rs 2,200 to Rs 7,000 for a scan. The scan is available free of cost at the hospital.
Of the two machines, one is installed at the Regional Diagnostic Centre (RDC) and the other in front of Radiology department, which is being operated in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
While the machine on RDC premises is lying defunct, the other was repaired after much hue and cry in April. But the lone functional machine too stopped working five days back and is yet to be repaired.
The worst sufferers of the hospital authorities’ apathy towards vital diagnostic services are the poor who in most instances have to bear the cost of ambulance while moving a patient to a private facility for the scan. The price of scan varies as the nature of test and can go up to Rs 7,000.
The patients and their attendants did not have it easy when the machine in front of the Radiology department was functioning.
Critical patients including those affected with brain stroke had to wait for several hours before getting a scan done. What’s worse is that the machine served both Covid and non-Covid patients giving rise to spread of infection.
Owing to lack of maintenance, the machine had developed snags 13 times in the last six months and was repaired over 20 times in the last one year. At the cost incurred on its repairs, a new machine could have been procured by the hospital.
Meanwhile, frequent glitches in the machines has made patients and their attendants suspicious of the hospital authorities’ motive. They are wondering how the machine is developing snags so often while the ones at private facilities are functioning uninterruptedly. Authorities of SCB MCH could not be contacted for their comments.