SAMBALPUR: A portion of the false ceiling of the CT scan room at VIMSAR, Burla collapsed on Sunday.
The sudden disruption in CT scan service due to the roof collapse has left patients who rely on the government hospital for critical diagnostic services in a lurch. Reportedly, the roof of the CT scan collapsed at around 7 pm, when a patient had just entered the machine. While the ceiling probably collapsed due to seepage of rainwater, the patient escaped the mishap. Though, the hospital authorities swung into action and initiated repair of the roof on Monday morning, but CT scan remains disrupted at the facility.
Superintendent of VIMSAR, Lalmohan Nayak said, “No damage was caused to the machine but it is a difficult task to shift it along with all the wirings, cables and allied equipment. The repair of the roof is underway and efforts are on to resume the service within next 48 hours.”
CT scan is essential for diagnosing a wide range of conditions, including internal injuries, tumours, infections and diseases. They provide detailed images of internal organs, bones and tissues, helping doctors make accurate diagnoses and plan appropriate treatment.
Although a CT scan machine has also been brought for the super-speciality building at the hospital, it has not been installed yet.
On an average, the CT scan facility at VIMSAR witnesses footfall of 100-120 patients everyday. Though there are private CT Scan facilities near VIMSAR, they charge between `2,000 and `4,000 per scan. The Kin of a patient from Balangir Rajesh Kumbhar said, “My wife is suffering from a lung ailment. The doctor had advised to get a CT scan to check severity of the infection. Now that the facility is unavailable we will either have to stay here till it resumes or come back after a few days. In any case, it is an additional financial burden on me.”
Official sources at the hospital informed that the CT scan machine has been functioning 24/7 for the last five years and is still in good condition. However, as the room is old, it needs maintenance. Owing to high patient load it had become difficult to carry out the maintenance work without disrupting the services.