CUTTACK: All three CT scan machines at SCB Medical College and Hospital are lying defunct much to the inconvenience of patients who have no option but to depend on private facilities. Two CT scan machines were set up on the premises of regional diagnostic centre(RDC) and another installed in front of the radiology department on public-private partnership (PPP) mode to provide diagnostic services to patients.
On average, at least 200 patients require CT scan every day. Sources said, one of the two machines at the RDC has been lying defunct for more than three years and the other stopped working four days. Due to extra load, the last functional machine developed a technical snag and became defunct on Thursday. This has left patients, especially those from economically disadvantaged sections of society to rely on private diagnostic centres which charge a premium for the tests. While the diagnostic service is free of cost at SCB MCH, the private facilities charge anywhere between Rs 2,200 and Rs 7,000 depending on the nature of test.
SCB administrative officer Abinash Rout said the first CT scan machine installed in the hospital in 2001 became obsolete in 2020 after running for 20 years and the second one which is over 10 years old became defunct following a software problem.
“We have contacted the manufacturing company for update of its software and restoration through annual maintenance contract as soon as possible. Similarly, efforts are on to restore the PPP mode CT scan unit within a day or two. Critical patients requiring CT scan are being advised to undergo the test at Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC) which can be reached in battery-run vehicles,” said Rout.